


SoulCaptor Sakura

by Eerie_Innocence42



Category: CLAMP - Works, Cardcaptor Sakura, Soul Eater, Tsubasa: Reservoir Chronicle, X -エックス- | X/1999, xxxHoLic
Genre: Multi
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2014-05-25
Updated: 2015-03-23
Packaged: 2018-01-26 12:58:50
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 47
Words: 141,409
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1689164
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Eerie_Innocence42/pseuds/Eerie_Innocence42
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Sakura Kinomoto must capture the Clow Cards once again. This time, she must defeat the twisted souls of these grotesque monsters known as Kishin created by the DWMA's newest enemy, Clow Reed. CardCaptor Sakura now has a Soul Eater AU, 20 years after the defeat of Kishin Asura and the Battle on the Moon. Rated M for possible future content. Subject to change.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Prologue: The Future

AN: After waiting so long to write fanfiction, this is my first attempt. I wanted to do this sort of continuation; show things that happened after the Battle on the Moon, and then it turned into this. Enjoy!

* * *

Maka's not used to having these sorts of dreams. Even in her 30 years of living, she's never had a dream like this. It's the first dream she's ever remembered in a long time, and the last dream she remembered was when she was sixteen.

Sixteen years old. She was in the black blood room, despite it being gone after defeating Asura. She had reached out to Soul. As they danced, they had melted together. Into the black blood. Two souls now in one body. The day after that dream, Soul had told her he loved her.

She'll never forget that day.

Thirty years old. This dream was more cryptic. A girl stood before her. She held, what looked like, a small toy wand in her hand. It was pink, with a bird's head on top of it. The girl herself seemed to be around thirteen or so, auburn hair cut short with small sections in pigtails. Emerald green eyes, that seemed to match Maka's in intensity, stared up at her and a smile graced her lips. The girl ran off. Without thinking, Maka decided to follow her.

As Maka followed the little girl, smoke came into full view, and she lost sight of the girl and her wand. Maka stopped to try to catch her breath, but it proved to be difficult with the smoke.

The wisps of cloudy air circled her, changed into different colors, and a form began to appear. A woman. Made of smoke. A strange headdress across her forehead.

She pointed ahead, and Maka began running in that direction. As she ran, there was some sort of desperation in her steps. Like a disaster would occur if she didn't hurry.

She didn't know this little girl, so why was it so important to find her?

The smoke cleared to reveal a morose scene. The girl was on her knees, crying. Her wand was gone, but another girl, possibly the same age, lay before her. The girl had long, beautiful jet black hair, that kinked at the bottom, and her eyes were closed. Blood spilled beneath a black dress, stained the weeping girl's white one.

All Maka could do was reach out to the sad girl, hoping to comfort her. Before she could touch her shoulder. The girl turned around to face her.

She was also hurt. Bleeding profusely from a wound in her chest, tears continued to fall from her face as she collapsed to the floor. Maka caught her quickly, and laid her down gently. She laid the girl on her back, letting her head rest in Maka's lap. The girl's eyes were closed now, cheeks stained with tears. Maka could've sworn the wound in the girl's chest was from a blade of some sort.

A knife. No. A scythe.

Maka looked up to see a dark, obscured figure before them. The figure's shadow swallowed the dark-haired girl before approaching Maka and her emerald-eyed companion.

Silence passed, as Maka clutched the girl in her arms, as a caring mother holds their child. An arm from the figure rose and smoke around him twisted until a golden scythe as bright as the sun appeared in his hand.

She couldn't move. Her heart leaped in her stomach as she sat stiff on the ground. The golden blade raised above her head.

It swung down, and Maka awakened.

* * *

 Heart beating, body covered in sweat, the 30-year-old Maka Albarn, now Maka Albarn-Evans, sat up in bed to catch her breath. The covers became so unbearable that she kicked them off in frustration, rubbing her face, trying to make sense of what she saw.

While she didn't notice, a snowy-haired, red-eyed man stirred from his slumber and sat up to look at the woman next to him. Concerned, he leaned his head on her shoulder.

"Bad dream?" he asked, snuggling into her neck, as she let her arms drop to her sides. He pulled her close, and she fell into his embrace.

"I don't…think so," she replied with a heavy sigh, "Just a weird one."

"Wanna talk about it?"

"I don't know how to describe it."

"Was it Crona again?"

Maka stared at her partner, somewhat confused.

"You've had nightmares about Crona before," he said. Oh yeah, she did. She had somehow forgotten them.

"Nah, no Crona. Just…people I didn't know."

"Really? That's weird."

"Yeah, they were…I dunno…thirteen? Fourteen tops?"

"Maybe you're just anxious about the first day of teaching tomorrow," he concluded, sounding a bit more relaxed than before.

"Soul, I've been teaching here for, what, five years now? Same goes for you."

"Yeah, I know."

"So why the hell would I be nervous about a bunch of new kids?" she smirked, "You know me better than that."

Her weapon sighed, "Yeah, I know. I just figured...something was wrong so…"

As he rubbed the back of his head, Maka smiled. He was just worried about her. Some things never change. She leaned into his should now, her hand reaching behind to rub his back.

"I'm fine, Soul," she assured him.

"Well, then, what was so weird about your dream?"

"I dunno. I didn't know these kids but…it felt kind of…familiar, like I'm supposed to know them."

"Like one of those future dreams…or something like? What's the word?"

"Precognitive."

"Right, right. That's right."

Maka sat up, looking out the window beside their bed. A black orb encircled the once smiling moon outside. The stars covered the night sky like diamonds.

"Everything's been so calm, and yet…I feel like something bad's going to happen," she thought aloud, and then she fell back onto the bed with a thud. Soul looked down at her in silence, and then flopped down as well.

"Well," he finally breathed out, "I'm sure it's nothing we can't handle…"

Maka looked over at her partner. Her weapon. Soul Eater Albarn-Evans. He gave her his signature grin that she loved so much, and any doubts she may have had disappeared as she gave a light laugh.

"Right?" he said, pulling her in for an embrace. She looked him straight in the eye.

"Yeah, you're right."

The gazes softened, and their lips met, if only for a brief moment, before falling back to sleep.

Maka still couldn't forget that dream, as it played over and over in her mind. While she was calmer than before, a preconceived dread had already taken root.

Something terrible was coming, and Maka made sure that she prepared the new students for the coming year ahead.


	2. Reunion

AN: And now for the real main character for our story!

* * *

**ACT 1**

 

Her heart beat to a rhythm she wasn't familiar to, yet it gave her the energy she needed as she reached the final step. She stopped for only a short second to catch her breath as she turned around to see all of the millions of steps she just climbed. Even though it was her first day, she was used to rigorous physical activity back when she was a cheerleader at her old school in Japan.

"Yes!" she cried out in pride, "Finally made it to the top!"

As she looked up, she saw all of Death City glowing in the hot desert sun smiling down on her. The view alone took her breath away more than the stairs leading up here, to her disbelief. All she could do was smile.

"So…this is Death City," she breathed. She dusted her skirt of her given school uniform, a sailor suit like her uniform back home, only the tie seemed to look like a skull, and it was all black and white.

The young, teenaged girl forced herself to turn her back on the amazing view to face the building behind her. A large, castle like structure with three skulls around it with large candles hanging off the side graced her eyes. Her smile widened.

"I think I'm going to like it here!" she said to herself as she walked into the building for the first time.

* * *

 

Three months before, a bowl floated into the air from the kitchen table and landed with a crash onto the floor. She hadn't even touched it. Her brother had made some sort of joke, calling her a monster. He knew she hated that. He only did it to tease her.

It didn't stop the bowl from floating and crash to the wooden floor, noodles and vegetables splaying everywhere. It also didn't stop her brother from seeing.

"Sakura, what the he- … what did you do?!"

"I-I didn't do anything!"

They stared at the remnants of her dinner on the floor. Sakura, the young girl, looked terrified. Her brother, Touya, looked concerned.

"You don't think it was a…a gh- …a gho-," she stuttered.

"No, definitely not," he assured her, "I would've saw something."

There was a pause.

"What are we gonna do, big bro?"

"I dunno," Touya sighed, as he grabbed a broom and dust pan and started cleaning up the mess. Sakura tried to help, but he just shooed her away from the broken ceramic.

"Has this happened before, kiddo?" he asked, looking up at her. She looked almost too scared to say, but she nodded.

"You didn't want me or dad to know, right?"

She nodded again.

"I won't tell dad," he said as he threw the pieces into the trash using the dust pan. Sakura had a small look of relief on her face.

"But we are going to have to do something, okay?" he added, and she nodded quickly in reply.

"I've been…trying to find something that might help," she finally replied. She motioned her brother to stay where he was as she ran to grab something out of her school bag. She came back with a pamphlet in her hand. It read:

"Death Weapon Meister Academy: Training the Young and Gifted"

Touya gently snatched it from her hands and looked over it. It said it now catered to the training and nuturing of witches, whatever the hell that meant.

"What do you think?" she enquired, and he looked up from the brochure.

"Where'd you find this?"

"It was in the school counselor's office, strange enough. It just…stuck out to me, I guess."

Touya handed the brochure back to her and sighed.

"We should think of what to tell dad…" she thought out loud.

"Don't worry, I'll think of something," he answered and he looked her in the eye. She gave him a gentle smile, a glint of hope in her emerald green eyes.

"You just focus on school for now, you little monster," he teased as he roughed up her auburn hair and walked back into the kitchen to dish up another bowl of noodles for dinner.

"I'M NOT A MONSTER!" she yelled, as she stomped after him. Once the dark-haired young man dished her a new bowl, he set it on top of her head.

"Well, you are pretty tiny for a monster," he pondered aloud, as she flailed about in anger at his teasing antics. He handed her the bowl, roughed up her hair again, and they continued their dinner like nothing happened.

* * *

 

Three months ago turned into two, as Touya discussed with his dad in the living room one night.

"She's been invited to this special school?" his dad asked.

"Yeah, they sent us this brochure in the mail a while ago. Came with a letter to," Touya lied, holding up the brochure and a forged letter he made himself.

"But what about all her friends at school? Won't she miss them?"

"Well, yeah, what kid wouldn't? Still, Sakura talked with some of her friends about it. Gave her all these hugs and addresses. Told her to write them everyday. All that mess. If anything, they were the ones that kinda encouraged her to go."

This was kind of true. When Sakura talked with her best friend, Tomoyo, the young lady practically begged Sakura to take the opportunity. The reasons why remained a mystery.

"And Sakura's okay with this?"

"Well, yeah."

"Why don't we bring her in here and ask her?"

Touya nodded submissively and turned his head over his shoulder.

"HEY KIDDO! DAD WANTS TO TALK TO YA!"

Sakura ran into the room with a spring in her step and sat next to her father on the couch, landing on it with a thud.

"Hey dad!" she chirped.

"Hey sweetheart, your brother tells me that you got invited to a prestigious school."

She nodded in agreement. She didn't want to tell her dad that she submitted an application to the school. It wasn't for any good grades, like most schools, or even any athletic achievements. Those didn't matter. She was some sort of witch, as the school liked to call it, and she needed to figure out how to control it. She wanted things to stop floating absently when her mind wandered or when she got emotional. She wanted to stop feeling like forces were watching her she didn't know. She wanted to stop having dreams about the future, however mundane they were.

She just wanted to feel a little bit more normal. She wanted to be herself again.

After a short silence, her father finally spoke.

"You can go, but only if your brother goes with you."

Touya looked up in surprise.

"I read that you have to live by yourself or with a roommate, and I don't want you to be in a strange city by yourself. That's the only thing. Are you okay with that, Touya?"

There was a pause.

"Sure," he sighed, "I don't have too many friends anyways."

"What about Tsukishiro?" their father enquired.

"Yuki?" Touya replied, "He left school a long while ago. We keep in touch still, so it's not like I'll stop sending snail mail and phone calls or whatever."

"Well, I guess it's settled then."

"Really?" Sakura beamed.

"Yes, you can go."

Sakura hopped off the couch, hugged and kissed her father and brother, and ran up to her room, slamming the door behind her.

Her room was empty, with only a few clothes and school uniforms out, and her comforter still on her bed. A computer say on her desk, her e-mail account open, a message from the DWMA thanking her for choosing their school and hoping to see her in two months. All of her belongings that she could fit were in one large trunk and two large rolling suitcases.

Sakura flopped on the bed and grabbed her cell phone, a special one her friend had given her from her friend's mother's company.

She dialed her friend immediately.

"Hello, Daidouji residence," a sweet, sing-song voice replied on the line.

"Hi Tomoyo!"

"Sakura! How'd it go?"

"Dad said yes! I'm going to the Academy!"

"That's fantastic!"

"I know! I had to tell you."

"I'm so happy for you, Sakura."

She sounded happy, but Sakura was sure she was hiding the fact that she was probably sad that her friend was leaving.

"I'm going to miss you, Tomoyo," she said, dripping with sincerity.

Silence.

"I'll see you soon, Sakura," Tomoyo said as she quickly hung up the phone. Sakura looked down at the small device in confusion before getting ready for bed.

* * *

 

"I'll see you soon, Sakura."

She never did explain what she meant by that, and Sakura continued to ponder over it as she looked for the front desk. Other students began wondering around, chatting excitedly.

When she found the front desk, she noticed a familiar face. A young man, with silver hair and golden brown eyes smiled at her and waved. Her face reddened with surprise.

"Yukito?!"

"Hello, Sakura-chan! What are you doing here?" the young man replied.

"I-um…I…" she stammered. She hadn't seen Yukito in so long. She heard he was going away to a new school, but she didn't expect it to be this school.

"I…I could ask you the same thing…if…you know…that's alright…" she murmured looking away shyly.

"Well," he said with a small chuckle, "I trained here as a weapon, but I wasn't really qualified for battling purposes, so they put me in the N.O.T. class, and now I work here!"

"Wow…that's so cool," she said dreamily and then processed something…

"Wait…you're a weapon, Yukito?" she exclaimed.

"Why…yes! I'm a… shield weapon of some sort."

"Wow…"

"Are you going to school here now, Sakura-chan?"

He still remembered her name she now noticed. Her heart warmed a little.

"Ah…y-yeah."

"I see, are you a weapon or a meister?"

She looked at him in confusion. She was a witch, so to speak, so she didn't seem to fit any of those two categories.

"Umm…I don't know…"

"Can you turn into any sort of weapon shape?"

"Well…no…I don't think so."

Yukito seemed a little puzzled.

"Then, why are you coming here, Sakura-chan?"

"Um…well…"

She suppoed it wouldn't hurt to tell him.

"I think I'm a witch, as they described in the pamphlet," she answered, "And…well…they said they could help me, you know, control my powers."

A light bulb seemed to go off in Yukito's head.

"Ah, I see. Well, when you attend here, whether you're a 'witch' or not, you have to categorize yourself as either a meister or a weapon. There are some witches here that are meisters. Quite a few, actually. There are also a few that can turn into weapons now!"

Sakura sighed in relief.

"So, have you been able to transform any part of your body?" he asked, looking down at a piece of paper, "Any blades, sharp points, or anything metallic?"

Sakura shook her head.

"I see, then that means you're a meister!" he chirped, bending down behind the desk, and flipping through a file drawer.

"Let's see…you should be under 'new students'….aHA! Here we go!"

He opened a file on the desk that had her information and picture inside. She leaned in and read:

Name: Sakura Kinomoto

Age: 13

Birthday: April 1st XXXX

Blood Type: O-

Hair: Auburn; brunette

Eyes: Green

Previous Residence: Tokyo, Japan; Tomoeda district

Previous Education: Tomoeda Middle School

Status: Witch

Powers: N/A

Meister/Weapon: _

Partner: _

E.A.T. / N.O.T. _

…

The rest of the file had writing in it that she couldn't read, as Yukito seemed to dig for some other items.

When he came back up, he had a stamp in his hand. On the first empty blank line listed, he stamped the word MEISTER on it, in think red ink. He then closed the file and placed it in a small pile on the desk.

"There you go! And also, here's this." He handed her a small, plastic name tag that read MEISTER in bold, black letters.

"Okay, you're all checked in!" he said.

"Thank you!" she beamed, her cheeks glowing pink as he smiled at her.

"Oh, is your brother here?" he asked.

"Oh, well, yes and…no. He's not…attending here, but he's staying here with me, so I'm not living by myself and stuff!"

Yukito looked down, a small smile on his face.

"Really…"

There was a pause.

"Well, tell him later I said hello!"

"Okay, I will! He still needs to recover from when he was carrying our stuff to the apartment yesterday."

"Oh really?" he laughed, "He carried his things AND yours?"

"Yup! I couldn't carry it all by myself," she shrugged, a little embarrassed, and Yukito chuckled. Sakura merely blushed and looked away, smiling to herself.

"Well, I better get back to work! You take care Sakura-chan, and good luck finding a weapon partner!"

"Thanks, Yukito," she grinned and ran off.

That's right, she needed to find a weapon partner. She pulled a piece of paper out of her pocket, read it, and ran down one of the many hallways ahead of her.

* * *

 

It took a lot of time, but eventually, Sakura found the right classroom. It was a small room, with no desks, and there were a few students inside. A good number, but not enough to be crowded.

There were so many unique people, she noticed. So many people of different skin tones and hair styles. Some of them were transforming into weapons before her very eyes. One kid, a Middle-Eastern young boy, turned himself into a hatchet. Other one, a small African girl, turned into a large hammer. A tall, Caucasian, blonde woman turned into a whip, and one man of Hispanic origin turned into a saber.

It was all so overwhelming, and Sakura had to step to the side. She took a moment and pinned her MEISTER tag onto her uniform. Then, from behind, a large figure appeared and Sakura slowly turned around, feeling his presence on her back. It was a man, or at least she thought he was. However, he was blue. His jaw was large, and his hair was put in long dregs. Despite his seemingly old age and waning figure, he wore a baggy, basketball uniform. He also emitted a stench that smelled like he was rotting.

Sakura jumped back a little in surprise.

"Relax there, young lady," he finally said, "I ain't gonna hurt you. I may be scary lookin', but I can promise you I can be pretty chill. That the kind of man I was when I was alive."

Sakura stared dumbfounded. This was a zombie. A…surprisingly friendly zombie, and not like those scary ones on TV.

Sakura relaxed a little and shyly stuck out her hand.

"I'm…um…Sakura," she wavered, "What's your name?"

"Name's Sid, young lady," he replied, gripping her hand in a firm handshake, "Pleasure to meet you!"

He smiled warmly at her, and she smiled back.

"I'll be one of your teachers here," he continued, looking down at her tag.

"So you're a meister?"

"Um…yes, sir!"

"Okay, good, I need to go pair up with a weapon. You don't need to decide right away. Just take your time. No rush."

Sakura nodded and looked around the room again. She waved back to Sid, before wondering around. It seemed that many people had already paired off. She wished she could pair with Yukito, possibly, since he was a weapon, but that seemed unlikely. Maybe one day, but not for right now.

Then, out of the corner of her eye, there was someone sitting alone. A boy. He wore casual green clothes and was leaning against the far corner of the room. His hair was as dark as the brown soil of the earth. His eyes, while she couldn't see them too well, were a reddish color, more brown than red though.

He seemed stern, but there was something telling her to walk over and talk to him. It couldn't hurt, and Sakura certainly was one who liked to greet people.

As she approached this mysterious boy, he started to turn his head towards her. He raised an eyebrow when she gave him a smile.

"Um…hi!" she blurted out.

"Hello…" he murmured.

There was an awkward silence between them before the boy spoke up again.

"What do you want?" he grimaced.

"Oh, um, well, I was…um…looking for a partner and…"

"Are you a weapon?"

"Well…no…"

"Then leave me alone."

So he was a meister too. Sakura sulked a little, but at least she got to meet a fellow meister, even if he was being a little rude.

She glanced down to see his tag. To her surprise, it read WEAPON in bold, black letters.

"Wait," she added as he cringed a little, "It says on your tag that you're a weapon…"

"They gave me the wrong one."

The wrong one? That didn't seem right. Considering all that Yukito had to do at the front desk to sign her in, that kind of mistake seemed unlikely to her.

"But…how…"

"Look, just leave me alone okay? I don't want to partner with a meister like you, got it?!"

Sakura was taken aback. He was clearly angry. What he was angry about wasn't too clear.

"But…we're all supossed to pair-" she started.

"I'M NOT A WEAPON!" he interrupted, "So GET LOST!"

"Syaoraaaann!" chirped a voice.

A young lady about Sakura's age lept onto the rude young man with such force that they both fell to the floor. Her hair was jet black and pulled up into buns with hair hanging from them like pigtails. Her eyes, Sakura noticed, were the same color as this weapon boy.

"I tried to get our tags changed, but the meanie guy at the desk wouldn't listen to me!" she whined as he squirmed in her grasp. The girl looked over, scanning Sakura up and down.

"Who the hell are you?"

"Oh, uh, I'm…Sakura….Sakura Kinomoto…"

"You a meister?"

"Um…yes?"

"Hands off. He's my partner, anyways."

Sakura went stiff.

"Name's Meiling Li," she answered, "and this," she added, hugging the boy in her arms even tighter, "Is Syaoran Li, my meister."

Sakura stared, feeling even more confused than ever. If she was a weapon, why did she where a tag that read MEISTER?

"They got our tags mixed up. I tried to change it so we could wear the right ones, but they wouldn't listen."

"Are you kidding me?" Syaoran exclaimed, "Why won't they change it?"

"Something about 'can't change who you really are blah blah blah. It didn't make a lick of sense to me."

"So, you're supposed to be a weapon?" Sakura asked Meiling.

"Yeah…well…I can't transform yet. But no biggie! That's why we're here!"

She hugged Syaoran more tightly as he tried to squirmed out of her grasp. Clearly, talking to them wasn't the best idea, and Sakura decided to just leave them be.

She decided to go by the window, where she noticed a person. It was a girl. Long, black hair, pooled and curled down her shoulders to the lower curve of her back, glowing a violet tint in the sunlight. Her back faced Sakura, as she seemed to be looking out the window. Though she couldn't see the front, Sakura could tell she was wearing a very elegant black dress with white frills and sleeves. Sakura decided to walk over to her, feeling like she'd seen this girl before. It wasn't the same feeling she got when she approached Syaoran, but it was definitely similar.

She tapped the girl's shoulder lightly, and she turned around. Her azure blue eyes looked at her in surprise, and then excitement graced her face. Sakura knew exactly who it was.

"TOMOYO!"

Sakura embraced her friend tightly, and Tomoyo did likewise. Warmth filled their vice-grip of a hug, and joy reverberated through every part of their body. When they released each other, they jumped up and down in excitement.

"I'm so happy to see you!" Sakura cried with jubilee.

"I know! It's good to see you here!"

"So…when you said you'd be seeing me soon…"

Tomoyo merely nodded and smiled serenely.

"But…why didn't you tell me?"

"I…guess I wanted it to be a surprise," her friend replied. She looked a little embarrassed. Then she looked at Sakura's tag and beamed.

"So you ARE a meister, aren't you?"

"Yup! What about you, Tomoyo?"

She pointed at the tag she pinned to the black bow on the collar of her dress. It read WEAPON. Sakura clapped in delight.

"AWESOME!" she exclaimed as she and Tomoyo gave each other a high-five.

"So, what kind of weapon are you supposed to be?" Sakura finally asked.

"You know…I'm not entirely sure," she admitted, "All I know is I can turn parts of my body into metallic shapes…sort of…"

"Really? I didn't know."

"I'm…sorry I didn't tell you…" Tomoyo frowned, "But now, I can finally show you!"

"OH GOOD! Can I see?! Please please?"

Tomoyo beamed and put her hands over her ears. A light glowed underneath, and when she uncovered them, they had changed. Her ears were now red disks with white metallic wings, one out of each side. The shined like a new car, and Tomoyo flicked her finger against one of them, making a hard, muted tink noise.

"Whoa," Sakura marveled.

"I know, right?" Tomoyo answered, "I'm still not sure what I'm supposed to be though."

"Well, we'll figure it out, I'm sure!"

"Yes, I guess you're right."

Sakura gripped her friend's hand tightly, and they turned to face the front of the classroom, as Sid called for their attention.

Sakura didn't really notice, but Tomoyo's cheeks were flushed as she stared at her friend, holding her hand just a little bit tighter.


	3. Circle

AN: OOO boy, here comes the plot. Dunno why I waiting so long to establish the conflict, but I digress. It’s so good to be done with finals and to be writing this again. THIS IS THE NEWLY EDITED VERSION. Enjoy!

* * *

 

     “GOOD MORNIN’, NEWBIES! WELCOME TO THE DWMA! I AM YOUR GOD AND LEADER, THE GREAT AND MIGHTY BLACK★STAR!!!”  
      A bombastic man with teal, spiked hair and large arm muscles bared for all to see stood before the new students, yelling enthusiastically. Sakura noticed a star tattoo on his right shoulder with a scar splitting across it. She also noticed an attractive woman standing next to him, with jet black hair pulled into a high ponytail. She seemed embarrassed but kept a serene smile on her face. Sid sat in a chair with his arms crossed, shaking his head. The loud man, named Black★Star, continued.  
     “AS YOUR NEW GOD, I’M HERE TO PREPARE YA’ FOR THE TRIALS AHEAD BEFORE YOU HEAD OFF TO YOUR CLASSES.”  
     The beautiful woman with the serene tapped him gently on the shoulder and he stopped. He looked over at her, and his energetic demeanor seemed to relax.  
     “THIS IS TSUBAKI, MY LOVELY NEW WIFE AND BEST WEAPON IN THE WORLD,” he continued as the woman named Tsubaki blushed violently, “SHE’S GONNA TELL YA WHAT TO DO! TAKE IT AWAY, BABE!”  
     Once she calmed herself down and chuckled a little, Tsubaki pulled out a piece of paper and began to speak in a voice that was soft but still clear, like a bell.  
     “Hello and welcome, new weapons and meisters! My name is Tsubaki Nakatsukasa. This is my meister and…husband…” she smiled, “Black★Star Nakatsukasa.” Black★Star beamed with pride. Some students rolled their eyes. Tomoyo smiled, but Sakura wasn’t sure what to make of them. She couldn’t grasp why such a quiet and gentle woman was married to someone so…loud.  
     “We are your orientation instructors, and we will be helping you in determining what class of the school you need to fill,” Tsubaki continued.  
     “There are two classes of fighters here for both meisters and weapons: E.A.T. and N.O.T. Normally Overcome Target students, or N.O.T.s, will train in the Academy to control their powers so they can blend with regular society and not harm others. Especially Advantaged Talent students, or E.A.T.s, will be training for the battlefield.”  
Students began to whisper among themselves excitedly. Syaoran Li raised his hand.  
     “Yes, young man!” Tsubaki pointed.  
     “What’s the battle that E.A.T. students are training for, exactly?” he asked.  
     Tsubaki’s smile faded for a short second before answering.  
     “The higher-ups are determining this. However, regardless if any threat exists,” she breathed, “…we want our students to be prepared for anything.”  
     Black★Star nodded, a semi-serious look on his face now. Sakura seemed to notice this, but tried not to dwell on it too much. She knew she was probably going into the N.O.T. class. Battles were the least of her worries.  
     “Now, in order to determine which class you need to be in, we’re going to call you up here, pair by pair, to see where you stand in your abilities as weapons and meisters. This will give you all a chance to get to know each other, as well as learn from each other.”  
Sakura beamed at the prospect of this.  
     “There may be another witch here,” she thought, “Maybe I can learn from them.” Tomoyo noticed her friend’s hopeful smile and the corners of her mouth turned up as well.  
     However, their attention turned to Syaoran and Meiling, who seemed to scoff at the idea. When Meiling chuckled, Black★Star and Tsubaki noticed and the whole room turned to look at them.  
     “Is there something funny, you two?” Tsubaki enquired.  
     Meiling cheeks went slightly pink, out of embarrassment. Syaoran took on a stone-faced demeanor.  
     “We’re on a mission here, and we don’t have time to make friends,” he stated, matter-of-factly. Meiling looked at him, concerned, but she wouldn’t argue against what he said. He was right, to a certain extent, in her eyes.  
     “WHAT’S YOUR NAME, PUNK?” Black★Star blurted, looking irritated.  
     “Syaoran Li,” the cocky, young man answered.  
     “ALRIGHT, SYAORAN LI, YOU AND YOUR PARTNER GET UP HERE.”  
     Syaoran stiffened before Meiling gave him rough punch to the back, and they both stepped in front of the two teachers.  
     “SINCE YOU TWO ARE SO CONFIDENT, YOU GET TO BE OUR FIRST PAIR,” Black★Star announced.  
     “Black★Star, you really should learn to lower your voice just a bit,” Tsubaki cooed.  
     “WELL, THE WHOLE CLASS SHOULD KNOW!”  
     “I know, but…”  
     Black★Star sighed.  
     “I know. There’s a time for announcing be presence and a time to be in the shadows, right?” he replied.  
     “…well, yes, but there’s a time…”she waited.  
     “…to be loud…”he groaned.  
     “…and a time to…?”  
     “…be quiet.”  
     Tsubaki nodded. Syaoran and Meiling only stared in confusion.  
     “Okay, which one of you’s the weapon?” Black★Star asked, looking at the two kids.  
     Meiling raised her hand. Tsubaki looked down at her MEISTER tag.  
     “Why do you have a meister tag, then?”  
     “They tagged us wrong at the front desk,” Meiling replied, “I couldn’t get it fixed.”  
     Black★Star and Tsubaki looked at each other.  
     “I’m supposed to be the weapon,” Meiling continued, “My aunt says it runs through our side of the family. But…I can’t transform…”  
     “That’s very common,” Tsubaki interrupted quickly, as if trying to console her.  
     “…but I haven’t shown any signs either…” Meiling added.  
     “Well, then you’re probably not a weapon,” Black★Star concluded.  
     “But-”  
     “Listen, I dunno who told you that you’re still a weapon but…” Black★Star paused, looking at Syaoran, “It was this kid, wasn’t it?”  
     Syaoran glared back at him, and Black★Star only glared back. Tsubaki seemed concerned, but didn’t know how she should intervene. She turned her attention back to Meiling. She grabbed a folder, flipping through it to find the class roster.  
     “You’re name’s Meiling Li, correct?” she enquired.  
     “Yes,” Meiling responded.  
     “Are you two brother and sister?”  
     “Cousins.”  
     “I see. Has your cousin exhibited any signs of being a weapon?”  
     “I’m not a weapon,” Syaoran interjected.  
     “That’s not what your tag says,” Black★Star retorted. The glares continued.  
     “Well…” Meiling started, “he can do elemental magic, but our whole family’s known for being able to do that.”  
     “Can you do that?” Tsubaki asked.  
     “No,” Meiling frowned, sounding disappointed.  
     “Alright, kid, let’s see this elemental mojo that she’s talking about,” Black★Star commanded.  
     Meiling backed away from Syaoran. Noticing this, Tsubaki and Black★Star did the same. Syaoran steadied himself and closed his eyes. He clasped his hands together, chanting something.        He held up two fingers.  
     “SPIRITS OF FIRE, ANSWER MY CALL.” he shouted, and he began breathing fire into the air. He twisted it through the air with the two fingers he had raised. It was as if he and the fire were dancing with each other.  
     Everyone was shocked, and Sakura stared in awe, admiring the control in his movements and the grace in his step. With one final move, the fire disappeared, and the young boy stood tall before bowing.  
     Everyone clapped, some louder than others.  
     “Very good!” Tsubaki praised, “Are there other elements you can control as well?”  
     “Water, Air, Thunder,” Syaoran stated, stone faced, “I’m learning Earth magic as of date.”  
     “Magic…are you a witch…or rather…wizard, Li-kun?” Tsubaki asked.  
     “Most of our family is, so yes!” Meiling chirped.  
     Tsubaki nodded, taking in the information and writing it in her file.  
     “Except…me…”Meiling added, dejectedly.  
     “Well, that’s alright, Li-chan, you’ll be able to use magic when using Li-kun in his weapon for-”  
     “I’M NOT A WEAPON!” Syaoran shouted. Sakura noticed a pained look on his face as he said it.  
     Tsubaki and Black★Star looked at him, confused. They looked at each other, as if silently communicating something to each other, and then nodded.  
     “Alright, here’s what we’re gonna do,” Black★Star began, “We’re gonna do a small exercise, and when it’s done, that’ll determine which one of you’s the weapon.”  
     Syaoran looked prepared, while Meiling seemed more nervous. Tsubaki took over.  
     “Now, I want you both to close your eyes.”  
     The two cousins obeyed.  
     “Shut out every distraction around you. There’s no else in this room right now. You’re in your mind now. Focus your attention to the center of your body. Do you feel a pulsing sensation?”

     They both nodded.

     “That’s your soul wavelength.”  
     Tsubaki now had the whole attention of the room. Sakura and Tomoyo stared, waiting to see what would happen next.  
     “Focus on that feeling. Let it run through your entire being.”  
     Both cousins were incredibly relaxed, and Tsubaki smiled.  
     “You feel it?”  
     They nodded again.  
     “Good. Now, as you let this feeling run through your body, I want you to find an image. This image should be clear in your mind.”  
     Syaoran seemed to struggle, as his brow began to furrow. Meiling squeezed her eyelids tightly, holding her breath, trying to think of something.  
     “You don’t need to force it!” Tsubaki reassured, “If you don’t see anything yet, don’t worry. Just focus on your soul wavelength. The image will come to you.”  
     The two cousins relaxed their composures. Meiling still seemed to struggle. All her mind could conjure was the shape of a person.  
     Syaoran, on the other hand, saw something different. His mind was empty. Any judging eyes and insecurity he felt before had disappeared. All that was before him, in his mind’s eye, was a sword. A Chinese jian, like the one he used when practicing martial arts at home. The hilt had a black grip and a guard was large and gold, with a red oval jewel at the center. The blade was long, protruding from the golden guard, shining a beautiful, silver light. A red tassel with a black orb near the end dangled in the air at the top of the hilt.  
     He wanted to reach out and touch it. And yet…  
     “You must become a meister at the DWMA.” A voice from the past told him. He realized quickly that it wasn’t his mother, Meiling’s aunt. It wasn’t any of his sisters. It wasn’t even a father he never met. It was his voice.  
     “You’re the man of the family,” he kept telling himself, “You need to be in charge. Being a tool to a means to an end is not an option. This is your chance to show you’re not weak.”  
     Outside his mind, Syaoran appeared to be struggling now. He exhibited a glow, while Meiling did not. The students stared in curiosity. Tsubaki turned her attention to Black★Star.  
     “I’m going to focus on Li-kun. You watch over Meiling-chan, okay?” she whispered.  
     “Sure thing,” he answered, and they switched spots. Tsubaki stood in front of Syaoran, placing a hand gently on his head.  
     “Clear your mind of all distractions,” she told him, “Even any voices in your head… Only listen to your soul wavelength.”  
     “I want to be strong,” his voice echoed in his head, before he cleared it away. The sword shone brighter, and he reached out. He felt peace. He felt his body warp and torque into a new shape.  
     Meiling felt Black★Star tap her shoulders as she opened her eyes to see her cousin glowing, his body twisting and swirling into a new shape. When the twisting has ceased, Syaoran had taken the form of the sword he saw in his head. However, his mind was not aware.  
     He felt a weight to him though, as if he was going to fall, but he couldn’t move. Meiling grabbed the hilt of the sword before he could hit the ground.  
     “You can open your eyes,” Tsubaki instructed him, and he did.  
     He felt lighter and then realized what he had just done. He was a sword now. His cousin had him in her hands. He could barely move, and when he tried, Meiling’s grip seemed to tighten, as if he was slipping from her hands.  
     He was horrified. An after-image of his face appeared in the silver blade, reflecting his new discovery. The students clapped, seemingly impressed.  
     “Very good, Li-kun!” Tsubaki praised.  
     “Looks like the guy at the front wasn’t wrong, was he?” Black★Star interjected.  
     Meiling was speechless with excitement.  
     “But this…I just…it can’t be!” Syaoran exclaimed.  
     “What’s wrong, Li-kun?”  
     “THIS ISN’T SUPPOSED TO HAPPEN!” the sword whined.  
     “The hell you talkin’ about?” Black★Star asked, visibly annoyed.  
     “I just…this…I’m supposed to be a powerful meister!”  
     “Well, you’re not, punk, and you’re just gonna have to deal.”  
     “There’s nothing wrong with being a weapon,” Tsubaki reassured him.  
     “But…the weapon is the weaker of the pair…right?”  
      Tsubaki froze, a hurt look on her face. Black★Star was livid and stormed toward the two cousins. Meiling dropped her cousin’s newly found sword form to the floor with a clang, and                Syaoran twisted back into human form, rubbing his head. Black★Star grabbed Syaoran by the collar of his shirt, giving him the deadliest of glares.

     “DON’T EVER SAY THAT AGAIN,” he spat, and Syaoran looked terrified, thinking this bizarre muscle man of a teacher was going to kill him. However, Black★Star dropped him on the ground with a thud, and Syaoran immediately fell backwards, now sitting on the floor. Meiling rushed to his side, holding him close to her and looking up at their teacher. Tsubaki gave a serious look to the class as Black★Star spoke.

     “Now LISTEN UP, ALL OF YOU. I’M ONLY GONNA SAY THIS ONCE. IF YOU CAME HERE THINKING THAT WEAPONS ARE WEAKER THAN MEISTERS, THEN THAT NEEDS TO FUCKIN’ CHANGE. BEING A MEISTER DOESN’T MAKE YOU BETTER THAN ANY WEAPON IN THIS SCHOOL. BEING A WEAPON DOESN’T MAKE YOU HOT SHIT EITHER.”  
The class went deathly silent. Sakura and Tomoyo were especially paying close attention. Meiling had a look of hope on her face. Syaoran, on the other hand, looked like a dog with his tail between his legs.  
     “SO IF YOU’RE GONNA GO AROUND WITH AN ATTITUDE LIKE THIS,” he continued, pointing to the guilt-stricken weapon on the floor, “YOU’RE NOT GONNA GET ANYWHERE IN THIS SCHOOL, SO GET THAT OUT OF YOUR FUCKING LITTLE HEADS. MEISTERS NEED THEIR WEAPONS AS MUCH AS THEIR WEAPONS NEED THEM.”  
     Tsubaki put a hand on his shoulder, and his demeanor began to take on a calmer mood. He breathed out a long sigh.  
     “Okay, sorry. I just want to make sure it’s not only clear to THIS…kid…but to every single one of you. You’re all on equal footing. Treat each other with respect. Got it?”  
     The room filled with “yes’s,” “yeah’s,” and nods of the head.  
     “Good.”  
     Black★Star turned to Meiling and Syaoran, who had just gotten up off the floor.  
     “Don’t ever talk about weapons like that,” he muttered to Syaoran, “And don’t you dare call your cousin weak. The fact that she’s able to wield your sorry ass is proof enough that she’s got magical abilities.”  
     At the sound of this, Meiling beamed with pride.  
     “You really mean that?” she asked.  
     “Of course, Li-chan…may I call you Meiling?”  
     “Yes, ma’am!”  
     “Well, Meiling-chan, we will definitely work with you on your abilities as a meister. I can see a lot of potential in the both of you.”  
     Meiling bounced in joy, while Syaoran stared at the ground, defeated. He finally looked at Tsubaki.  
     “Ma’am…”  
     “Yes, Li-kun?” she answered, in a more serious tone.  
     “Are you a weapon?”  
     There was a small pause, before she answered seriously, but with certain humility.  
     “Yes, I am.”  
     Syaoran, surprisingly, bowed his head.  
     “I apologize for what I said.”  
     Tsubaki was taken aback for a moment but then smiled.  
     “Apology accepted.”  
     She lifted his head so that they looked each other in the eye.  
     “You’re a very strong and gifted young man, and you’re going to be a fine weapon…”  
     The pain that was in Syaoran’s face disappeared and was replaced with bashful embarrassment.  
     “Thank you,” he replied, looking down at his feet.  
     She smiled before asking the two of them to see Black★Star and her after class. The tension in the room cleared as soon as Tsubaki spoke to the students again.  
     “Alright, who wants to go next?”

* * *

 

     The orientation went by smoothly after that, each pair coming up one by one, answering questions, and displaying their skills. Most of the students seemed to be placed in the N.O.T. class.      Some were content with this. Others were disappointed.  
     Syaoran and Meiling stayed in the back of the room while everyone else got to leave. While Meiling seemed to be fidgeting with excitement over the promise of becoming a meister, Syaoran was more meditative over the circumstances. Sakura wanted to go over and talk to them. Maybe give a few encouraging words. However, before she could take any action, it was her turn to be placed along with her partner, Tomoyo.  
     The two girls stood before Black★Star and Tsubaki as the last pair of the day. Sid continued to sit in his chair, watching the two new teachers.  
     “Alright,” Tsubaki chirped, “what are your names, ladies?”  
     “Sakura Kinomoto,” said the green-eyed meister.  
     “Tomoyo Daidouji,” said the elegant, dark-haired weapon.  
     “It says you’re both from Japan,” Tsubaki read from her file, “Did you two know each other before this?”  
     “We’ve been best friends since third grade,” Tomoyo answered.  
     “Well, how wonderful! Then you two will have a good stable resonance already.”  
     Sakura seemed confused.  
     “Sometimes, pre-made relationships, based in trust, are good foundations for a stable soul resonance between two people,” Tsubaki explained, “Because you two know each other well, if you’ve known each other for that long, you’ll have gotten used to each other’s soul wavelengths, probably without ever having to think about it.”  
     The two girls looked at each other and smiled brightly.  
     “Alright, let’s get these two outta here so they can enjoy the rest of the day before Kid’s big ol’ speech tonight,” Black★Star interjected. Tsubaki nodded and began to instruct them as she did before.  
     “Okay, which one of you is the weapon?”  
     Tomoyo raised her hand.  
     “Alright, Daidouji-chan, I need you to close your eyes.”  
     She did so.  
     “Shut out every distraction around you. There’s no else in this room right now. You’re in your mind now. Focus your attention to the center of your body,” the woman repeated.  
     Tomoyo felt her soul wavelength swell through her body. After hearing these words several times from the woman in front of her, the actions she had to do seemed to come naturally to her.  
     “You feel your soul wavelength, Daidouji-chan?”  
     Tomoyo nodded with a smile.  
     “Good. Now, as you let this feeling run through your body, I want you to find an image. This image should be clear in your mind.”  
     Tomoyo began to glow, a pink-ish light surrounding her. Sakura stared at her friend, amazed. Then, suddenly, a magic circle appeared on the floor, which caused the remaining people in the room to step back. It even caught Syaoran and Meiling’s attention, for they seemed to recognize it.  
     Western and Eastern symbols filled the glowing gold circle while a sun shape shone in the middle. A crescent moon contained itself in it’s own circle next to the sun, shining almost as brightly.  
     Black★Star and Tsubaki stared in confusion, first at the circle and then at each other. Sakura only waited in awe, to see what would happen with her friend.  
     In her mind, Tomoyo was surprised to see an image come so clearly to her. She didn’t know what kind of weapon she’d be, when she first discovered her abilities. The image before her seemed so fitting, reminding her of her friend she loved so dearly.  
     It was a scepter of some sort, the size of a baton. The shaft was pink with a small gold and ruby decoration on the bottom. The head of the scepter was in the shape of a bird’s head: gold with a large, red beak. The eyes, she noticed, looked like the red disks with white metallic wings that would appear on the side of her head sometimes, when she was human.  
It was such a cute-looking thing, it couldn’t possibly be a weapon, like the ones she saw today from the other students. However, if this was the image she conjured from her own soul, it must be worth something.  
     She hesitated for a moment, and then Tomoyo reached out towards the scepter. As she did so, the pink light overtook her, and she felt her body twisting into a new shape.  
     Before her eyes, Sakura saw her best friend changing into a weapon. Tomoyo had turned into swirls and wisps of pink light, the magic circle still visible on the floor. The swirls took shape until Tomoyo appeared as her weapon form, the bird-headed scepter.  
     Sakura immediately grabbed her friend, taking her into both hands. The magic circle shined a little brighter, swirling wisps of wind around the room. Sakura could feel power through every nerve in her body, as her soul resonated with Tomoyo’s. The wind swirled around them, and Sakura could only giggle in excitement. The wind soon calmed and the magic circle faded away.      

     Tomoyo ceased glowing pink, resting comfortably in Sakura’s light grip.

     “That was…fantastic!” Tsubaki exclaimed, trying to catch her breath.  
     “What…what is she supposed to be?” Black★Star pointed out, looking at Tomoyo’s weapon form.  
     “I’m not entirely sure myself,” Tomoyo’s voice echoed from the scepter.  
     “May I try using you…er…I mean,” Sakura stammered, not knowing how to phrase it.  
     “You two seem to be resonating well,” Tsubaki pointed out, “Do your hands feel okay? Any burning sensations?”  
     “No, not really,” Sakura answered.  
     “Well, then, why don’t you two try moving in sync with each other?” Tsubaki suggested.  
     Sakura spun her friend through her fingers, like when she would twirl the baton in cheerleading back in Tomoeda. Tomoyo began to spin with Sakura’s movements, discovering she could move even in her current state. Then, Sakura tossed the scepter into the air. As Tomoyo twirled and fell, Sakura caught her, giving her one final spin before holding her still. Sakura then realized this was the first time she had ever caught any sort of baton-like object that she’d thrown into the air. Despite being decent with baton in cheerleading, she never once caught the baton, always missing as it clocked her on the head.  
     Both Tomoyo and Sakura were silent for a moment before the green-eyed meister began to jump for joy.  
     “I FINALLY CAUGHT IT!” she exclaimed.  
     “I KNOW!” Tomoyo chimed in.  
     “I MEAN IT’S…you’re not…a baton…”  
     “Well, yeah…”  
     “BUT STILL!”  
     “I KNOW!”  
     Tomoyo soon changed back into a human with ease. The two girls then began to jump up and down, holding hands and squealing with delight. While the others in the room were confused, the teachers seemed very pleased. The two Li cousins still sat there, dumbfounded.  
     “That magic circle…” Meiling muttered.  
     “I know,” Syaoran responded, “I’ll call mother tonight and ask her about it.”  
     “Good idea.”  
     “Congratulation, you two!” chimed Tsubaki, making notes on the papers she had in her file.  
     “What kinda circle was that?” asked Black★Star.  
     Tomoyo looked confused.  
     “Circle?”  
     “There was this magic circle or something below you when you transformed,” Sakura explained.  
     Tomoyo seemed dumbfounded.  
     “You don’t know what that circle is?” Syaoran piped up from the back of the room, and they all turned to look at him.  
     “Do you know what it is, Li-kun?” Tsubaki enquired. Syaoran was about to say, but then seemed to stop himself. Black★Star’s face went serious.  
     “Alright, girls, you go ahead and go,” he said.  
     “But…what about our…class status?” Sakura questioned.  
     Tsubaki finished writing what she needed to in her file and spoke.  
     “Due to your remarkable resonance skills, as well as Kinomoto-chan’s ability to wield her partner with fantastic accuracy…I’d say you two would fit right into the E.A.T. class!”  
     Tomoyo seemed surprised, but her friend wasn’t as happy.  
     “E.A.T.?” Sakura asked, “But…isn’t that for students who can fight?”  
     “Yes, ma’am.”  
     “So…why…I’m…I’m a witch! I don’t know how to control my powers! I came here to learn how to conceal all of that, so I thought I’d be an N.O.T. student…”  
     “Well, of course, you’re going to learn how to conceal your powers, but N.O.T. class students are usually average in their abilities, and, from what we saw, you’re abilities are far from average. Both of you seem to be extremely powerful!”  
     The two friends looked at each other, concerned. Tsubaki noticed this and tried to comfort them.  
     “W-Well…since we don’t know if there’s a full crisis yet…we may not need you to fight!” the teacher stammered, “Whatever is happening right now may not be that big of a deal and the teachers can handle it…”  
     Black★Star put a hand on Tsubaki’s shoulder, giving her a serious look. Sakura got the idea that they were communicating something to each other, but she wasn’t sure what it was.  
     “Whatever the case may be, I promise that you two will be ready for whatever life throws at us,” Tsubaki encouraged, and that seemed to make the two friends feel more at ease.  
     “Now, you two run along,” Black★Star shooed, “Enjoy the rest of your day.”  
     They nodded.  
     “And IF YOU EVER NEED ANYTHING, YOU COME FIND THE GREAT AND MIGHTY BLACK★STAR!” he roared in excitement before letting out a hearty laugh.  
     The two girls were taken aback but then smiled, knowing they had adults that they could trust, as they left through the door out into the hall.  
     Black★Star, Tsubaki, and Sid then turned their attention to Syaoran and Meiling, who stood up and walked over to their superiors.  
     “Alright kiddos,” said the aging blue man in basketball attire, “just come follow us.”

* * *


	4. Book

AN: After some editing, I decided to split Chapter 2 at a certain point and make this part a new chapter. Make the chapter less lengthy, you know? I think it’ll be easier writing this in smaller chunks. This part of Chapter 2 is now Chapter 3! Enjoy!

 

* * *

The three teachers and two students walked down a multitude of hallways before coming across a large mirror. Tsubaki fogged it with her breath and wrote what looked like a phone number: 42-42-564.

The group walked through the mirror, which led to yet another hallway. However, all that surrounded them was the clear blue sky. They had a single walkway to cross, lined with red archways that resembled guillotines.

“Whoa,” Meiling whispered. Her cousin merely stared, a mix of fright and awe on his face. They continued walking for a long while until they came to, what looked like, a small island mass. All that was there was another mirror, a table, a well-cushioned chair, and a figure cloaked in black, his back facing the group.

He turned around to face them. His entire countenance was covered in black with a white mask on his face. The mask looked like a skull with three, long sharp teeth. Meiling thought it kind of looked like a tooth with cavities.

The figure reached a hand towards his face to remove the mask. His skin was pale, but showed little to no signs of aging. His eyes were golden, and his short hair was black, bangs slightly draping over his face. He removed the hood of his cloak to reveal three glowing rings surrounding his head, like three halos. His lips curled into a smile at the sight of his friends and the new students.

“Hello, Black«Star,” he greeted.

“Hey, Kid,” said the muscled teacher, walking up to his friend and rival and giving him a warm handshake.

“Li-kun, Meiling-chan, this is Lord Death,” Tsubaki explained, “Before the previous Lord Death passed on, his name was Death the Kid.”

“You know you can still call me that,” he stated to Tsubaki.

“I know, but normally the students are supposed to address you as Lord Death, so…”

Death the Kid merely raised a hand.

“It’s fine,” he said, “I’m just messing around with you, Tsubaki.” The woman simply smiled as the God of Death returned the grin.

From behind, two more figures showed up, when Syaoran turned around to look. One was a woman with ash-blonde hair that fell to her shoulders and green eyes, the same green as _that_ girl’s eyes: Kinomoto. She wore a plaid, pleated skirt that went just above her knees, a white button-up shirt with a green and silver striped tie, and black combat boots. The other figure was a man, with white-as-snow hair and crimson red eyes. His clothes were more casual: jeans and a T-shirt, with a flannel button-up and the sleeves rolled up his forearms. His shoes were more formal dress shoes but were scuffed with age.

The woman seemed like a no-nonsense sort of person, someone Syaoran could admire. The man with her, however, seemed like a lazy sort. These two were complete opposites in every sense of the word. They greeted Death the Kid as soon as they arrived.

“Hey, Kid,” the man muttered, with a nod of his head, hands in his jean pockets.

“Are we going to continue what we discussed yesterday?” the woman asked.

“Yes,” Kid answered, “But I need to ask who these two new students are…and…why exactly are they here?”

“Oh yes,” Tsubaki stammered, “This is Syaoran and Meiling Li. They’re cousins, said to be on a mission of some sort.”

“Mission? What mission?”

Syaoran and Meiling stayed silent before Kid spoke again.

“There’s no need to be frightened. Whatever it is, I’m sure we can help you.”

“We’re not scared, and we don’t need your help,” Syaoran muttered before Meiling elbowed him in the side.

“We get the idea that these two might be involved in what we were discussing last night,” Sid stated.

Kid raised an eyebrow. Meiling spoke, since Syaoran was too stubborn to say anything.

“We’re looking for the Book of Clow,” she answered. Everyone in the room perked up at this.

“MEILING!” her cousin hissed.

“Well, it’s not like they’re gonna kill us, Syaoran! They’re teachers, and we’re just students here!”

“I KNEW THEY HAD SOMETHING TO DO WITH THIS,” Black«Star exclaimed, proudly. Tsubaki tried to quiet him down.

“You mean _this_ Book of Clow?” asked the woman with the ask-blonde hair. The two cousins turned to see the woman pull something out of a large bag on her arm. It was a red book, with a gold latch on the side to keep it shut and gold plating on the edges. A lion with wings graced the front cover, but the back was blank. It read “The Clow” on the banner on the front, and a sun decoration hung from the front on a gold chain on either side of it.

“What do you know about this book?”

“It’s a spellbook,” Syaoran explained, “It was written by a sorcerer named Clow Reed.” The God of Death and the remaining teachers looked more serious than before.

“You know who Clow Reed is?” asked Meiling, and Kid stepped towards them.

“We believe that he has released followers of his throughout parts of the world. Some of them are in Death City. They appear to be kishin, but we can’t seem to kill them or catch them at all.”

“Kishin?” the cousins asked together.

“Demon gods,” the ash-blonde woman explained, “Corrupted souls that wander humanity, devouring innocent souls.”

“We believe that who this Clow Reed is,” Kid continued, “He could pose a threat to the Academy. However, we haven’t taken immediate action as of yet. So far, he seems to be hidden away, but word of his identity is getting around …How do you know who he is?”

“Are you followers of his- OW!” Black«Star murmured, and Tsubaki elbowed his arm.

“We’re distant relatives,” Meiling answered, “from his mother’s side of the family. We're trying to retrieve it so it doesn’t fall into the wrong hands…or something like that.”

“Mother stated we needed to find it in order to capture all the souls you mentioned earlier that you couldn’t retrieve,” Syaoran finished.

“So…you’re here to…stop the chaos that’s going on right now,” Kid stated.

“Yes,” Syaoran answered, as honest and sincere as any other.

Death the Kid nodded.

“That’s good,” he said to himself. The teachers seemed to relax a little.

“What do you know about this Clow Reed guy?” asked the man with the snow-white hair.

“He’s the most powerful magician in the world,” Meiling answered.

“He created a new form of magic,” continued Syaoran, “fusing magic to soul and trapping them to cast spells.”

“His father was from England, and his mother was from China. She’s our great-grandmother… I think?” Meiling added, looking to Syaoran for clarity.

“Our family is rooted on Clow’s mother’s side of the family.”

“I see,” said the young God of Death, “and this is his spellbook?”

“Yes,” they answered.

Death the Kid took the book from the woman with the ash-blonde hair. He then seemed to make a small realization.

“Oh, forgive me, I didn’t introduce you to your other teachers over here,” he pointed out, directing the Li children’s gazes to the man and woman with the ash-blonde and white hair, respectively.

“This is Maka Albarn,” he stated, pointing to the woman then pointing to the man next to her, “and her weapon partner, Soul Eater Evans. They will teaching you, if you’re in the E.A.T. class.”

“Given the circumstances,” Maka added, “they may have to be.”

“Why didn’t he tell these kids our new last names?” her weapon pouted.

“I told him that Kid that we’d go by our regular last names when we’re here, working as teachers.”

“But isn’t that gonna get confusing?”

“I don’t think so. It’s not as big of a mouthful as Albarn-Evans.”

“What’s wrong with Albarn-Evans?”

“Nothing, you big idiot, it’s just a lot to say sometimes, so…”

“It was _your_ idea to begin with!”

“Yes, it was!”

“So why are you making such a big to-do over it?”

“It’s a lot to say!”

“That’s what _I_ told you when we discussed this!”

“You said you were fine with it!”

“YEAH, after we argued over it for, like, a week!”

The two of them bickered like this for a good while, as the two Li cousins stared in disbelief. How could they possibly be a meister and weapon team if they fought this much?

“CAN YOU TWO BITCH ABOUT THIS SHIT LATER?” Black«Star bellowed, and they stopped. Soul looked at Maka with lazy, frustrated eyes, and Maka merely pouted at him. They grabbed each other’s hand and Maka rested her head on Soul’s shoulder in defeat, at least for the moment.

“Anyways,” Black«Star added, motioning towards Maka, “were you able to get that stupid book open… _Albarn-Evans_?”

Soul began snickering, and Maka gave Black«Star the evil eye as her cheeks turned a light shade of pink.

“No,” she retorted, “In fact, we tried everything. Soul’s scythe blade can’t even cut the leather on that latch. We tried kitchen knives…”

“We tried banging it against the sink…” Soul continued.

“We drilled it…”

“…lit the fucker on fiiiirrre…”

“Blair tried clawing it…”

“…ripping it with her teeth…”

“…ripping it with Soul’s teeth…”

“You tried everything, basically,” Kid finished.

“Yup,” the couple nodded. Everyone groaned or shook their heads.

“Maybe we could try opening it?” Meiling suggested.

“Maybe only a relative of Clow Reed can open it?” Syaoran added.

“Seems kinda stupid…” Black«Star muttered.

“But… it might work,” Kid added in before handing the book to them, “Try it.”

Meiling tried first. She pinched at the latch. Nothing happened. She tried plying it open with her hands. Nothing. She tried ripping the leather of the latch. Nothing. It was stuck. She sighed, defeated, and everyone followed suit.

“Let me try,” Syaoran retorted, and he grabbed the book. He, too, pinch, plied, ripped, and banged. Nothing happened. However the image on the front emitted a dim, golden glow.

“It must be reacting to your powers,” Meiling exclaimed. So, Syaoran placed the book on the floor and began chanting the spell he used earlier that day.

“SPIRITS OF FIRE, ANSWER MY CALL!”

He blew fire from his fingertips to the book, seeing if the fire would do anything. The book was left in chards. Then, suddenly, the book began to repair and seal itself shut, absorbing whatever flames were left behind. The book now looked brand new, like it had never been touched.

“There’s some sort of magic seal on it,” Maka concluded, “It reacted to Syaoran Li, but he couldn’t get it open.”

“So, someone who’s more powerful that him can probably open it, right?” Soul added.

“Probably,” Maka continued, smirking at her partner, “But, obviously, it can’t be just anyone. It has to be someone who has magical powers…”

“Like…a witch…maybe?” Soul asked. Maka seemed to be coming to the same conclusion.

“Yeah,” she murmured, “someone who can use spells, not based on the power of the soul alone, like us… We need to gather all of the witches together. What do you think, Kid?”

Death the Kid pondered for a moment before speaking.

“Alright, I’ll contact Mabaa immediately. Gather every witch that’s attending the Academy. Whatever is in this book may be the key to learning more about this sorcerer, Clow Reed.”

“What else can you tell us about Clow?” Maka asked, directed her attention to Meiling and Syaoran.

“His magic is a mixture of Western and Eastern elements. We also know his magic circle…”  Syaoran answered.

“Magic circle?”

“Mr. and Mrs. Nakatsukasa saw it today.”

Black«Star and Tsubaki soon realized what he was talking about: the magic circle that appeared underneath Tomoyo Daidouji.

“One of the students…” Tsubaki muttered.

“Could Clow Reed be disguised as a student?” Black«Star exclaimed.

“I…would’ve felt his presence somehow…” Syaoran answered, thinking back to the two girls from orientation. He would’ve felt it. He felt it once before. It was like ice running down your spine. He didn’t feel the presence of Clow Reed, and yet that magic circle appeared.

“Or Clow Reed is manipulating one of the students…”Maka concluded,

“Is there anything else you can tell us?”

Syaoran shook his head. Meiling followed suit.

“Then you all know what to do,” Kid directed, and everyone nodded.

All of the present teachers went back to their classes. Syaoran and Meiling stayed with the God of Death.

“You may stay here for the time being,” he told them. Soon, a tea pot and three cups appeared on the table in the “room,” and he motioned the two teenagers to sit down.

“Would any of you care for some tea while we wait?” he asked. Syaoran and Meiling looked confused.

“My father always welcomed company this way. I know it’s strange, but I always want to greet students with a gesture of kindness.”

The two cousins relaxed a little and slowly sat themselves down, letting the God of Death pour tea in each of their cups.

“I believe Liz calls this Darjeeling.”

“Who’s Liz?” Meiling enquired.

“She, along with her younger sister, Patti, are my weapon partners.”

“ _Two_ weapons?”

“Twin pistols.”

“Oh.”

He took a sip of tea. Syaoran followed suit, but Meiling continued to ask questions.

“Where are they, exactly?”

“They’re at my estate, resting. We were searching for this Clow Reed fellow while the Academy has been busy with their own priorities.” Kid smiled to himself.

“What about your father? I didn’t know Gods of Death had family.”

“He was the first one. He’s passed on…into another life or plain of existence, I suppose.”

“What about your mother?”

“I’m not sure, actually.”

“Sounds pretty complicated.”

“It is.”

They smiled at each other in content. Syaoran continued to sip his tea in silence, as they waited for the next step.

 


	5. Seal

AN: PLOT! * sighs *  Sorry for waiting so long. Time to REALLY get the plot rolling.

* * *

 

            A wisp of wind went through the air, as it formed into a human humanoid shape. A large poster was caught in it’s breeze, as the spirit grabbed it, pasting it to the before turning back into the desert breeze it so cleverly masked itself as.

            The poster read:

            **_Death Shall Be Erased and All Shall Live._**

**_Arise to Clow Reed: The Morning Sun and Midnight Moon._ **

A picture of a hooded figure, holding a golden scythe graced the center.

* * *

 

Maka wasn’t sure what to do at this point. A week passed, and still no witch or wizard in or outside the DWMA was able to open this stupid Clow book. Thankfully, her argument with Soul was over. They’d go by their original last names, during school hours. Kid decided on this, much to Maka’s chagrin.

Their previous fight ended in her apologizing to her partner for not talking about it with him first. He apologized for making it such a big deal, to which his meister shook her head, saying he had nothing to apologize for.

However, this make-up didn’t stop Maka from having her strange dream. The girl with auburn hair and green eyes. Two girls bleeding before her. A shadowed figure with a golden scythe.

Maka woke with a start once again, with her partner stirring next to her.

“You’re still having that dream?” he asked.

“Guess so…” she replied.

He rubbed her back for a bit, before they lay in each other’s arms.

“Have you met those two girls yet in your classes?”

“Not yet.”

“You’ll probably meet them when you least expect it.”

“Yeah, you’re probably right,” Maka giggled.

Soul kissed the top of her head.

“Goodnight, Mrs. Albarn-Evans.”

She smacked the side of his arm, which earned her a chuckle from him, and they both ended up softly chuckling before shutting their eyes.

“Goodnight, Mr. Albarn-Evans,” she smiled, as she drifted off to sleep.

* * *

 

            While Sakura didn’t wake up in the middle of the night, her dream was oddly similar. Sakura’s dreams were mostly déjà vu for her. Anything she saw happened the next day. Most of her dreams this night were just that, until…

            Everything went black, and then she felt herself opening her eyes. However, all she saw was darkness, feeling warm arms around her. And pain in her lower abdomen. She looked down.

_Oh God…_

Her vision became hazy, as she tried to move her head. She turned her head up to see who was holding her. A woman? She assumed it was a woman…with ashy-blonde hair. When her vision focused more, she saw this woman (seeing she guessed correctly) had eyes as green as hers.

She turned her head again. Someone was on the ground, surrounded in blood. A girl…with dark hair…

_Tomoyo?_

She wanted to cry out. Ask if her friend was okay. But all she could do was choke out a noise, like a frog croaking.

And then, a dark shadow appeared in the corner of her eye. By the time her head turned, the figure had a golden scythe raised. It swung towards her head and then…

The alarm rang.

* * *

            “That’s rather frightening!”

            “I know,” Sakura told a now worried Tomoyo, “It didn’t make _any_ sense.”

            “I wonder who that blonde woman was,” Tomoyo pondered, “Her appearance sounds familiar.”

            “Really?”

            “Yes! There’s a teacher people here talk about. Her name’s Maka Albarn, I believe. They say she helped create the last death scythe!”

            “That sounds cool! …but what does that mean?”

            “Well…apparently, this school originally focused on training weapons that Lord Death could use, right?”

            “Right…”

            “So…this teacher’s weapon partner is the last death scythe ‘created’…from what I understand.”

            “So…if we’re not training to create weapons for Lord Death…what _are_ we doing?”

            “I’m not exactly sure, Sakura.”

            “I mean, we’re starting the E.A.T. classes we were given for this week. I would think they’d already explain by now…”

            “I’m sure they will, Sakura. We just have to be patient, I suppose.”

            Sakura sighed and let herself flop onto the desk. Though, it was less of a desk and more of part of a long table. The girls sat with a bunch of other students in a university-like classroom. The table-like desks curved in semi-circles towards the front of the room, where a white board and teacher’s desk stood empty. The clock read 8:50 a.m., by the hands.

            Since Sakura and Tomoyo completed the necessary tests for their fields of expertise, they were ready to start their classes. The girls recognized some of the students from the orientation. While Tomoyo began talking to a few select students, Sakura took the time to introduce herself to every single person in the room.

            “Hello!” greeted Sakura.

            “Um…hello?” responded a girl with dark hair and skin.

            “My name is Sakura Kinomoto! What’s your name?”

            “Uh…Shana! Shana O’Hare. Nice to meet ya.”

            Sakura would then ask where they were from, if they were a meister or weapon, and would end with complimenting them on their appearance or their clothes, as honest as she was able.

            When Sakura finished this friendly endeavor, she sat with Tomoyo and told her the dream she had. It was now 8:51. Sakura was never one for being patient.

            Then, suddenly, the teacher came bursting into the room. The room quieted a little. The ash-blonde hair seemed way too familiar in Sakura’s eyes.

            “No need for alarm, kids!” shouted Maka, “Class hasn’t started yet! Just getting situated.”

            The room’s idle chatter began again. Sakura stared at the teacher with wide eyes. She was sitting just close enough that she could identify this woman’s face. It was her: the woman from her dream.

            Nine o’ clock hit, and the bell rang. Ding dong DEAD dong. The students started sitting down.

            “Morning everyone,” the teacher greeted, “My name’s Maka Albarn. I’ll be your teacher for Essentials on Souls.”

            She took a marker and wrote her name on the board. The room slowly grew quiet. Sakura leaned towards her friend.

            “I think that’s her…”

            “The woman from your dream?” Tomoyo whispered.

            “Yeah…”

            Maka turned around to face the class, grabbing a thin, hardbound notebook and a pen.

            “I’m gonna go ahead and take role,” she stated, opening the notebook and looking down, biting the end of the pen.

            “Bethany Diehl?”

            “Here,” called a young girl with pink and black striped hair. She looked way too young. She couldn’t have been more than eight years old. Maka smirked to herlself, making a mark in her notebook.

            “Takashi Yamazaki?”

            “Here,” called a young man around Sakura’s age with eyes closed shut.

            “Chiharu Mihara?”

            “Here,” called a girl sitting next to Yamazaki, her hair pulled up in large braid pigtails.

            Eventually, Syaoran Li was called. Then Meiling Li. And so on. This continued for a while, as Sakura continued to flash back to her dream. The woman with ash-blonde hair. A shadowed figure with a golden scythe. And then…

            “Sakura Kinomoto?”

            Sakura jolted for her daydreaming and raised her hand.

            “Here!” she exclaimed. As Maka checked the name in her notebook, she looked up.

            She froze. Short auburn hair. Wide green eyes. This girl, Sakura Kinomoto, looked exactly like the girl from her dream she had for so many nights. Maka’s eyes widened, as did Sakura’s. A uncertain fear grew in Maka’s stomach, as her mysterious student gazed at her in curiousity. This girl knew who she was, judging by the way she stared. Maka snapped out of her focus on Sakura and finished the roster.

            She shut her notebook, grabbing a small book with the title _A Guide to the Soul_ written on the front.

            “Alright, everyone, if you have your textbook, turn to page five. If you don’t have the book, get it soon, but you can share with your neighbor for now.”

* * *

 

            A sound soul dwells within a sound mind and a sound body. That was how the lesson began and ended. Lectures about the anatomy of the soul, discussions about the origin of souls, and so on went throughout the period. By eleven o’ clock, everyone was ready to leave. Sakura and Tomoyo wouldn’t have another class until one, so they decided to head to lunch.

            As the walked down the steps from their seats and crossed the room to the door, Maka Albarn called out to Sakura.

            “Yes, Miss Albarn?”

            “I…need to speak with you about something,” the teacher replied. She looked over to see her friend, whom she only half recognized. This girl, she believed her name was Tomoyo Daidoiuji, had long, thick, jet-black hair, the same as the other young girl in her dream. Maka decided to call this girl over as well.

            “I need your friend to stay as well,” she said. Tomoyo looked surprised and stood next to Sakura.

            “Did we do something, Miss Albarn?” asked Tomoyo, look concerned.

            “Oh no, no. I just need to ask you some things…” answered their teacher.

            The two girls looked at each other and then returned their gaze to their teacher.

            “Listen,” Maka continued, “Have any of you girls…had strange dreams lately?”

            Tomoyo shook her head.

            “I have…” Sakura answered.

            “What were they of…?”

            With only slight hesitation, Sakura told her. Just as Maka thought, this girl had the same dream as her.

            “Do you usually have dreams like this?”

            “Not really…. They only just started. Usually I just have déjà vu-like dreams…or something like that…”

            “I see…” and Maka became absorbed in her thoughts. She grabbed a folder out of her bag. It was filled with papers, mostly student information. She flipped through until she found Sakura and Tomoyo’s papers.

            “Ms. Kinomoto?” she said as Sakura tensed a little, “It says here that you’re a witch?”

            “Yes…” Sakura hesitated.

            “There’s been a call for witches to visit Lord Death this last week…”           

            “Really? Why?”

            “You didn’t attend? It was announced throughout the school the entire week…”           

            “I’m sorry. I suppose we…” she motioned at herself and Tomoyo, “…have been doing the testing exercises all week and didn’t notice…”           

            Maka sighed, putting the papers back in her folder, and she began packing her bag.

            “What’s going on?” Tomoyo finally asked, seeming very confused, possibly even agitated. Everything seemed so vague. As soon as Maka put her bag on her arm, she finally spoke again.

            “Come on, girls. I need you to follow me.”

* * *

 

            The three of them went through a strange mirror, going down a walkway with red, guillotine archways. The meister and weapon girls didn’t know what to think. However, Maka Albarn-Evans explained as best as she could, as they walked.

            “We’ve been trying to get witches to break the seal on this particular item for a good while now. So far, there’s been no success.”

            “So, you think Sakura could break this seal?” Tomoyo enquired.

            “Possibly,” their teacher responded, “As for Ms. Kinomoto’s dream…I’ve been having the same one for quite a while now.”

            Sakura looked shocked.

            “How can we be having the same dream?” she exclaimed.

            “I honestly don’t know…”

            There was a pause.

            “I just hope…” she continued, “…that this dream isn’t…some horrible prediction of the future…”           

            The two girls looked horrified. They didn’t have time to think about it long as they approached Lord Death. This time, there were two women with him. One girl was tall, with long, dirty-blonde hair and dark blue eyes. She had a serious air about her, and she was leaning on one leg. The other girl was shorter and more well-endowed. She had the same coloring as the other girl, but lighter, and her hair was cut short, in a bob. She had a manic smile on her face, her arms wrapped around the death god’s neck.

            “Hello, Maka,” greeted Lord Death.

            “Hey, Kid!” replied Maka, with a light smile.

            “MAKA!” cried the tiny, blonde woman, as she ran up and gave Maka a tight, warm hug. Surprisingly, for her size, she was able to lift Maka off the ground.

            “Hi, Patti,” she finally breathed, as she was placed gently back on the ground. The little blonde smiled.

            “Hey, Liz,” Maka greeted the other woman next to Kid.

            “’Sup,” she smiled and waved.

            Patti walked, or rather hopped, her way back next to Kid.

            “Sakura. Tomoyo,” Maka said, “These are Lord Death weapon partners, Liz and Patti Thompson.”            

            “Are they students?” Liz asked. Maka nodded.

            “They’re ADORABLE!” proclaimed Patti, and she ran over to both girls, hugging them at the same time.

            “I hope you girls are lovin’ it here so far!” she continued, “Which one of you’s the weapon?”

            Tomoyo tried wiggling her arm to signal her, in Patti tight grasp. Patti let go, noticing Tomoyo’s gesture, as both students gasped for air.

            She then stared at Tomoyo, reaching out and slowly grabbing pieces of Tomoyo’s hair lightly.

            “I LOVE your hair,” Patti commented, as she circled the young girl, petting her hair and playing with it. Tomoyo blushed.

            “It’s so dark!” Patti went on, “And soft too! It’s like that watery fabric…what’s it called?”

            “Ummm…satin?” Tomoyo replied shyly.

            “YEAH! That’s it!” Patti clapped, letting go of Tomoyo’s hair and then patting the young girl on the head before heading over to Sakura next. Patti ran her fingers through Sakura’s hair as well before ruffling it.

            “Your’s is so CUTE! And it’s soft too!” Patti exclaimed in excitement, and then her attention went to Sakura’s boots. They were black with belts wrapped around the material up to her knee. The soles, strangely were a bubblegum pink. Patti immediately grabbed Sakura’s leg, hoisting it up to look at the show better. Sakura yelped in surprise. Liz came up from behind trying to stop her sister. Maka followed suit.

            “OOOO! I love these shoes!” Patti went on, ignoring the two worried women near her, “Where’d you get these?!”

            “I gave them to her, as a birthday gift,” Tomoyo interrupted, “I had them specially made for her. Her name is inscribed on the botto-” and Tomoyo immediately stopped herself, realizing it only made the curious blonde lift Sakura’s leg even higher. Sakura was trying to balance as best as she could. Before she could fall over, Maka caught her by the shoulders.

            Patti looked at the bottom of the pink soles of the shoe. Sure enough, there was a stamp at the center: a crown with SAKURA written in a legible but still fancy type.

            “THAT is SOOO COOL!” Patti noted, “Shit, girl, your friend must be LOADED!”

            “Okay, Patti, that’s enough,” cooed Liz, behind her. Patti soon let go of Sakura’s leg, which landed with a thud. Sakura left out a sigh of relief, shaking her leg due to it now being sore.

            Liz mouthed an ‘I’m so sorry’ and Sakura just waved her hand, brushing the whole thing off with a smile.

            “I apologize for my partner’s rudeness,” Kid replied.

            “What’d I say?” whined Patti.

            “Patti, honey, you can’t just grab someone’s leg like that,” answered her sister, “Also…you dunno how ‘rich’ her friend is. Comments like that can come off as rude…”

            “But they’re kick-ass shoes!”

            “I know. I know. You can ask her about them later.”           

            Patti pouted before giving her sister an ‘ok’ and a big grin.

            “Anyways, is one of ya’ a witch? Here to open that weird book?” Patti pointed. Sakura and Tomoyo looked over where the blonde’s finger was pointing to see Syaoran shooting sparks of fire at the red book on the ground. He seemed despondent.

            “Li?” questioned Sakura, and Syaoran turned his head towards her, eyes widening. Their eyes met for a brief moment before he glanced at the ground, crossing his arms.

            “What are _you_ doing here?” he muttered. Sakura frowned furrowing her brows.

            “Miss Albarn brought me here,” she answered, “That’s all.” His gaze went to Maka.

            “Why’d you bring _her_ here?” he retorted. Maka frowned as well, taken aback by his rudeness.

            “I think she can open to book you’re so carelessly shooting sparks at, Mr. Li. Now, get up and hand the book over, please.”

            He got up, book in hand, passing Sakura, and handing the book over to Maka.

            _“Black Star wasn’t kidding,”_ she thought to herself, _“He really_ is _kind of a brat.”_

            Syaoran returned to his spot on the floor, as Sakura walked over to Maka, eyeing the book curiously.

            “This is what you’ve been trying to open?” Sakura asked. Maka nodded, explaining the situation to Sakura and Tomoyo. This time, she had more information.

            “Clow Reed…” Sakura breathed, feeling as if she should know that name.

            “Yes, a powerful sorcerer,” Maka replied as she grabbed a folded poster out of the bag. It read:

            **_Death Shall Be Erased and All Shall Live._**

**_Arise to Clow Reed: The Morning Sun and Midnight Moon._ **

A picture of a hooded figure, holding a golden scythe graced the center.

            Sakura’s breath hitched.

            “That figure…”

            “Yeah…the same as in that dream, right?”

            “YES!”

            “That’s what I thought,” Maka muttered. She handed the poster to Kid.

            “Clow Reed’s been showing up in those dreams I’ve told you about.”

            Kid looked at the poster. Liz and Patti peered over each of his shoulders.

            “He’s just like you described,” he breathed, his face grim, “If I’m correct then, you may have had, what they call, a precognitive dream, Maka.”

            “Precog- what?” Sakura bumused.

            “Precognitive dreams,” Maka explained, “Dreams that predict the future.” She turned her attention to Kid.

            “Are these two young ladies, then…” Kid gestured towards Sakura and Tomoyo, “…are the ones you saw dying in your dream?”

            “DYING?!” Tomoyo exclaimed, looking concerned.

            “It’s okay, Ms. Daidouji,” Maka assured.

            “NO, IT’S NOT,” she cried, “I DON’T WANT SAKURA TO DIE.”

            “No one’s going to die,” a voice said behind them. A man with white hair with a slump in his posture came walking up.

            “Soul!” Maka smiled, “Glad you could make it. Ms. Kinomoto? Ms. Daidouji? This is my weapon partner…”

            “And husband…” Soul added with a shark-toothed grin. Sakura was taken aback by his sharp teeth but then smiled. There were such interesting people at this school.

            “And husba- ….” Maka stopped, giving him a look before he started snickering.

            “Anyways,” she continued, “This is my _partner_ , Soul Eater Evans.”

            Sakura and Tomoyo looked confused.

            “Husband?” Sakura said to herself.

            “You’re married?” Tomoyo enquired, “Then…why are your last names…”

            “Can we not?” Soul interrupted. Maka sighed and nodded.

            “It’s complicated, girls,” Maka stated, “I’ll tell you later, okay?”

            “Divorce?” Tomoyo asked. Maka and Soul froze. Maka looked horrified and Soul looked worried, thinking his wife was going to burst into flames.

            “I said something wrong?” Tomoyo continued asking. Maka became despondent until Soul patted her shoulder. She let out a sigh.

            “Again,” she said calmly, “I’ll tell you later.”

            “The important thing is the book,” Soul nodded. Maka agreed, pulling the book from under her arm. It was still in pristine condition. She handed the book to Tomoyo first. The book reacted with a golden glow.

            “I suppose this was the girl with the magic circle you mentioned?” Kid asked, addressing Syaoran. He nodded, as Meiling came up behind him, putting a hand on his shoulder.

            “What about that circle?” Sakura asked.

            “It’s Clow Reed’s magic circle,” Maka explained. Sakura and Tomoyo’s eyes widened.

            “What? But how?” they exclaimed.

            “We’re not sure yet,” Liz added, “Try opening it…um…Daidouji, right?”

            “Yes,” the dark haired girl responded.

            “Alright. Well, go ahead and try opening it, Daidouji.”

            Tomoyo fumbled with the latch. It moved a little, but it wouldn’t open. Then sparks flew, shocking Tomoyo’s hand. The book fell to the floor.

            “ARE YOU OKAY?!” Sakura cried to her friend.

            “I’m fine,” Tomoyo assured her, “It was like static.”

            “It doesn't like her?” Patti stated as if to ask if that’s what happened.

            “Guess so,” Soul mumbled. Sakura looked down at the book before leaning over and picking it up in both hands. She gazed at the lion on the cover very carefully. The book reacted again, glowing, and then…

            CLICK.

            The latch unbuckled. Sakura yelped, juggling the book in her hands, before grasping it again and holding it away from her. Everyone stared.

            “OH MY GOD, THANK YOU,” Soul cried in relief. Maka collapsed her head on his shoulder, patting him on the back and sighing in relief. Kid, Liz, and Patti did the same, sighing in relief. Syaoran and Meiling looked mortified.

            “It can’t be…” Meiling murmured. Sakura stared at the book in confusion.

            “Well, go on, open it!” Maka exclaimed excitedly. Sakura obeyed, flipping open the front cover. On the flyleaf, it read:

            _The journey must end._

            Sakura frowned. _What the heck does_ that _mean?_

            She flipped the page. There was nothing. She flipped another page. Nothing. She flipped through more page, almost frantically.

            The entire book was blank.

            “ARE YOU FUCKING KIDDING ME?!” Maka cried, and Sakura dropped the book in surprise.

            “What’s the matter?” Liz asked, not understanding.

            “WHAT’S WRONG?!” Maka roared, “I’LL TELL YOU WHAT’S FUCKING WRONG! WE’RE FINALLY ABLE TO OPEN THIS FUCKING THING, AND THERE’S NOTHING! FUCKING NOTHING INSIDE! IT’S ALL **BLANK**!!!!”

            Everyone went silent.

            “I’m sorry,” Sakura finally mumbled out, and Maka noticed a sad look on her face.

            “Oh…oh no, Ms. Kinomoto, I’m not mad at _you_. No, it’s okay, dear. We’re just…”           

            “We thought we had a lead,” Kid finished. Sakura felt less guilty but still disappointed at the situation. She was able to break the seal or what not on this powerful book, and it didn’t help anyone around her. She couldn’t help but feel worthless somehow.

            Suddenly the book began to shake. It glowed a bright, golden light after if stopped shuddering and a gust of wind blowing the pages around violently. Everyone stared at it in disbelief.

            A glowing shape began warping out of the cover of the book as soon as it shut itself, not closing the latch on the side. It looked like…a head? With teddy bear ears?

Sakura wasn’t so sure.

            The small form rose out of the cover, wings growing from it’s back. As the form became more concrete Sakura noticed it looked like…a stuffed animal, of some sort. Maybe some sort of small lion cub with wings. It had large, round, teddy-bear-like ears. The head was larger than the body, which had small white wings and a long tail with a small tuff on the end. The toy was yellow, like a dandelion.

            As the glowing ceased, the toy dropped to the ground with a soft thump, and everyone stared at it, seeing if it would do anything. Everyone hunched away when they saw the little thing try to get up, trying desperately to lift it’s heavy head up and flap it’s wings. As soon as the little thing got balanced, it rubbed it’s little black bead eyes and yawned, stretching it’s small little arms. It flapped it’s little wings and was now floating in the air. Everyone couldn’t believe it.

            The little then floated to Sakura, eyeing her curiously before smiling and saying in a rough but tiny voice…

            “HELLO-LE-LO!”

            Confusion spread across the young meister’s face, as it did for everyone else in the room.


	6. Cerberus

AN: THREE updates in one day? I’m just on a roll, aren’t I? Enjoy!

* * *

 

            “Oh, isn’t it adorable?!” Tomoyo exclaimed, after getting over her initial shock to the whole ordeal fairly quickly.

            “I’m NOT adorable!” cried the small creature, “I am a MIGHTY BEAST, the Creature of the Seal! I…”  
            It looked down at it’s current form.

            “Oh…well, this is embarrassin’…”

            Sakura was still stunned in her place. She was sitting on the ground, staring at the book now. It still read THE CLOW in fancy writing, but the lion on the cover was now gone.

            “ _You’re_ the ‘Creature of the Seal’?” Syaoran asked in disbelief.

            “What are you sealing, pray tell?” questioned Tomoyo, “The book?”

            “Well, of course!” the animal answered, chest puffed out in confidence.

            “Are you a boy? A…girl?” Tomoyo continued in her never-ending questions.

            “Well, I’m OBVIOUSLY a BO…” the creature began but then looked down at his form again. It looked like something was missing.

            “Never mind…” he mumbled covering his face in shame. Somehow, Sakura managed to snap out of her confused daze long enough to pay attention to this detail, and she looked at him, confused.

            “I don’t understand…what would make it obviously that you’re a boy?”

            The creature only sulked to the ground in response. Most of the boys in the room hid their faces. Liz and Patti only giggled.

            “Let’s…just drop it,” Soul finally added, and the men in the room finally breathed.

            “I agree,” the death god replied, “We’d like to know who exactly you’re supposed to be, small…creature.”

            The small thing turned to look at him. He approached the God of Death, with a sparkle of admiration in his eyes.

            “You’re…Lord Death…” the little creature squeaked, and he bowed his head.

            “A pleasure,” Kid smiled, “And you are?”

            “Cerberus,” the creature stated proudly.

            “That can’t be right,” Maka said from behind.

            “Oh, yeah? Why’s that?!” Cerberus snapped, darting towards Maka.

            “Well, Cerberus is described as being a three-headed beast of Hell, and you’re…”           

            “…a stuffed animal,” Syaoran finished. Cerberus darted to Syaoran this time, giving him a strong glare with his beady eyes.

            “Well, he’s not the Cerberus that you’re referring to, Miss…Albarn-Evans?” Syaoran hesitated. He wasn’t sure how to address her at this point.

            “Miss Albarn is fine,” she sighed.

            “Right, okay,” Syaroan nodded then turned his attention to Cerberus, “Yes, this is a creation of Clow Reed’s.”

            “I am, indeed,” Cerberus agreed, eyes still narrowed.

            “You’re supposed to be the mystical beast with golden eyes, and yet…” Syaoran continued, looking perplexed, pointing at the creature, “…you’re so…tiny…”

            Cerberus’s agitation was now at it’s peak with this kid, and he bit down on Syaoran’s pointing finger.

            “AGH! GETITOFF! GETITOFFGETITOFFGETITOFF!” Syaoran wailed, flailing his hand about, as Meiling tried to assist. Eventually, Cerberus let go.

            “callmesmallwillyai’llshowyousmallwhenigetmyformbackandpunchyouinthenutsyoulittleshit,” the Creature of the Seal mumbled to himself as Syaoran tried to ease the pain on his finger.

            “Now, you…” Cerberus turned, flying over to a very confused and scared Sakura.

            “What’s your name, kiddo,” he smiled.

            “Umm…Sa…Sakura?” she stuttered.

            “Well, Sakura, thank you so much for releasing me!” he cheered, grabbing one of her hands with both of his small paws, giving her a light handshake.

            “I’d been sleeping there for ages!” he sighed.

            “Sleeping? Aren’t you supposed to be ‘sealing’ that book?” Sakura asked.

            “Ah…that’s…that’s a good question…”

            “Were you put into a slumber, maybe?” Maka piped in. It took the tiny creature a moment, but then, a light bulb seemed to go off in his head.

            “AH HA! Yes, that’s it!” he exclaimed, “Clow put me to rest, but my powers kept the book from opening.”

            “Are you sure it’s not ‘cuz he’s lazy?” Syaoran gritted through his teeth. Cerberus was about to dart towards him again. Sakura caught him by the scruff of his neck, fearing he’d actually bite Syaoran’s pointing finger clean off.

            “It doesn’t matter if it was on purpose or not right now…” Sakura began, “What’s important is that you were still powerful enough to keep that book shut, even though a lot of people tried to open it, don’t you think?”

            “Huh…so that’s why I kept waking up and falling asleep…who kept trying to open the book?”

            “We had many witches try to open the book,” answered the God of Death, “There are also the descendants of Clow Reed…”

            “Clow Reed’s descendants?!” exclaimed Cerberus, turning to Sakura, “I had no idea!”

            Sakura soon realized what he meant and shook her head.

            “Then who-”

            She pointed to Syaoran and Meiling.

            “THEM?!”

            Sakura nodded.

            “And you couldn’t open it?”

            The two cousins shook their heads somberly.

            “What damn…sucks for you two…”

            “What do you mean?” Sakura asked.

            “Whoever opens the book keeps it to do as they please.”

            Sakura looked surprised.

            “But there’s nothing in the book! It’s blank.”

            “YEAH!” everyone chimed in over each other.

            “Well, yeah, when you first open it, it’s a…kinda security thing, I guess. Look at it again…”

            Sakura picked up the book again and opened. The flyleaf stayed the same: _the journey must end_. However, the pages after were filled to the brim with text and pictures. Spells showing how to bind magic to a soul. How to trap a soul without killing a person. Creating artificial life. It was all described in detailed, hand-written text. It seemed familiar to Sakura somehow. Everyone tried to peer over her shoulder to see.

            “Thank Death…” Maka breathed, a look of relief crossing her face.

            “If this is called The CLOW, I would assume _he_ wrote this?” Kid asked the small creature. Cerberus looked down, crossing his arms, as if trying to picture a memory he couldn’t quite grasp.

            “I suppose it doesn’t matter for now,” Kid assured him, and he let out a sigh.

            “What can Sakura do with this book now?” enquired Tomoyo.

            “Well, from what I can recall, she can do one of two things now,” Cerberus suggested, “She can either use the knowledge in the book to become a powerful asset to Clow Reed OR she use the knowledge in the book to capture his ‘followers’.”

            “Capture his followers?” Sakura asked.

            “They are the spirits of Clow. Each one is different and very powerful. You can capture these spirits and use their powers for magical purposes. The way you capture them is with _these_.” Cerberus glowed a golden light, and the pages of the book began to flip to a certain page with the illustration of a oblong rectangle with Clow’s magic circle stretched across it. The picture glowed and from it a long pouch appeared. Sakura grabbed it and opened it.

            “Cards?”

            “Clow Cards,” Cerberus nodded.

            “But…they’re blank…”

            “There’s one for every soul that needs to be collected. When you capture one, the right picture will appear.”

            Sakura seemed genuinely excited until Meiling spoke.

            “Now, hold on a minute!” Everyone turned their heads towards her.

            “How come _she_ gets to do all of this?” she cried, “We’re the descendants of Clow Reed! She’s NOT! We should have a right to…” Syaoran stopped her.

            “Sorry, Meiling, but I don’t think that’s going to help our case here,” he told her. She puffed out her cheeks in frustration.

            “We were given a mission to collect these souls ourselves,” Syaoran explained.

            “By who?” Cerberus asked.

            “Her aunt,” he motioned to Meiling, “My mother. She is the head of the Li family. She told us we need to bring balance to this…magic that’s been created. Fix it in some way…”

            Cerberus pondered over this seriously.

            “There’s no way to ‘fix’ a technique of magic. A person can use it and improve techniques, thus discovering new forms of magic. It can’t be created or destroyed. So…your ‘mission’ doesn’t make a whole lot of sense. If what you need to do is capture the spirits of Clow, then…do what you want. You just won’t have the book.”

            Syaoran was now livid. He was merely doing what he was told, which he kept telling himself was the right thing, and here this so-called Creature of the Seal was down-sizing the importance of what they had to do. He knew Clow Reed needed to be defeated. He needed to restore the Li family name, even if the name meant very little to this stuffed toy, it gave Syaoran a feeling of pride.

            Meiling gripped his shoulder, calming him down.

            “Well, fine then!” she decided, “We don’t need the book, anyways. If we can capture those spirits on our own, we _will_.”

            She grabbed her cousin’s hand, and they stormed off. Rather, Meiling stormed off dragging a discouraged Syaoran behind her. They left down the guillotine hallway.

            “I’ll have to deal with that as it comes,” murmured Lord Death, as he rubbed his temples in frustration.

            “Is there a chance that these souls…er…spirits…could corrupt the user in any way?” Liz asked.

            “I’m not entirely sure,” Cerberus frowned, “I may know some things in that book, but there’s still some things I don’t quite understand.”

            “Maybe I could help with that!” Maka piped up, “Since I’m one of Ms. Kinomoto’s…er Sakura’s teachers, I could decipher some pieces of texts and help guide her…along with your help, of course.”

            Cerberus looked at the woman with curiosity.

            “I used to capture souls with my partner here,” Maka explained, motioning to her husband beside her, “We might be able to help her. Is this only something Sakura can do?”

            “Her and those bratty descendants of Clow,” Cerberus answered, “Getting your other students involved may not be the best idea.”

            “Still, if there’s danger that Clow Reed and these spirits can bring,” Kid added, “we’ll still need to teach the students how to defend themselves.”

            The other adults nodded. Cerberus agreed after a brief thought.

            “I guess we now have a plan of action…sort of…” Tomoyo beamed.

            So…this was it. Sakura now had a big assignment. She heard she might have to fight scary creatures called kishin, but she didn’t expect to be fighting against someone similar to her: a magic user. She certainly didn’t expect the two Li cousins to have the same task as her. They were mean at times, but they certainly seemed more experienced, as far as knowledge of magic and of this Clow Reed guy they were talking about. She didn’t know nearly as much. She might not be strong enough to defeat this mysterious hooded figure. But she was able to open a book with a powerful seal on it, which she supposed counted for something.

            “I still can’t get over that your name’s Cerberus,” Maka muttered, shaking her head, “And why are you so keen to help us, if Clow Reed created you?”

            “Well, I AM supposed to adhere to the person who opened the book and woke me up, so I guess I’ll just go from there.”

            “Well, rest assured, if you turn on us for any reason at all…” Maka glared, “We won’t be so kind…”

            Cerberus took a big gulp of air.

            “I’ll…try to remember that.”

            “Say…you know what I think?” Tomoyo piped up.

            Everyone turned to her.

            “For such a cute guy, we need a cute nickname!” she cheered.

            “Hey, I TOLD you I’m NOT cute,” the small creature cried, “I’ll have you know that my TRUE form is super awesome.”

            “Oh, I’m sure it is! And I suppose you’re not taking that form because your power’s weakened from that whole ‘protecting the book’ sort of thing?”           

            “Not a bad guess, little lady,” Cerberus nodded.

            “It’s just hard to call you Cerberus in the state you’re in,” Tomoyo giggled.

            “So, what else could we call him?” Patti asked.

            “HEY! I’m not some pet! Don’t go changing my name!” the creature cried.

            “How about Cubby!” Patti cried.

            “Nah, I think something closer to the sound of his actual name would be better,” Tomoyo retaliated.

            “THEN JUST CALL ME BY MY NAME! WHY ARE WE EVEN-”

            “Ooo! Keroberos!” Tomoyo exclaimed.

            “Isn’t that the same name though?” Patti asked.

            “It’s a different pronunciation of it.”

            “It’s still too long.”

            Cerberus continued to simmer as Sakura pondered over the idea as well. Then, she got an idea.

            “How about Kero-chan!” Sakura suggested.

            “Oh, now THAT’S cute,” Maka chimed in. The two men in the room just stayed out of it, as the Creature of the Seal, now Kero-chan, continued to bicker over his new nickname.

* * *

 

            “How exactly are we going to catch the spirits of Clow without the book?!” Syaoran exclaimed.

            The two cousins were walking down one of the school’s many hallways now. The pride from the moment had now faded. They went from being brave and stubborn in the face of a challenge to scared and unsure of the dangers ahead. Meiling tried to be optimistic about it.

            “Well, what do we need that stupid book for anyways?” she retorted, “If we’re descendants of Clow, we can get those souls easy peasey!”

            “If being descendants of Clow made so powerful, we would’ve been able to open that stupid book…” he mumbled, dragging his feet until he finally leaned up against a wall and slid down, finding a seat on the floor. His cousin stopped, looked at him with concern and sat down next to him.

            “Maybe we won’t _need_ all that power,” she assured him, “We just need to put our best foot forward! Good, ol’ fashioned elbow grease!”

            He wanted to believe her, but he wasn’t so sure. He just wanted to be powerful. He didn’t want to feel so useless. If he couldn’t do what his mother…his family asked of him, what was the point of being here?

            He felt a warm hand on his shoulder, saw his cousin put an arm around him, and she leaned her head against his.

            “We can do this,” she encouraged, “We brawn and wit. That’s all we need.”

            Syaoran smiled only a little. While he didn’t feel completely at ease, he did feel a little better. He didn’t have to do this alone. He had Meiling, and that was enough.


	7. Windy

AN: There are…52 of these cards. I will do my darndest to NOT do a chapter for every single one. I don’t mind writing this one bit, but I don’t want it THAT lengthy. Alright, it’s soul catching time!

* * *

 

            According to the book, the spirit had to return to it’s basic form before they could capture it in a card. This was where Maka’s teaching came into play, teaching the girls how they would defeat what the school used to call “kishin.” While capturing them was easily explained in the pages of The CLOW, reaping these spirits was a little different.

            Then, a curious thing happened. With Tomoyo being a scepter, the only way they could fight these spirits would be with spells. While flipping through the book, Tomoyo came across two pages stuck together. When she flipped the pages apart, she saw a strange spell.

            _Morphing into a Blade_.

            While Sakura talked with Maka about fighting techniques with a rod-like weapon, using a mop as a demonstration, Tomoyo read the pages she found carefully.

            She and Sakura would have to be resonating. Both of them would have to have a similar picture of a blade-like weapon in their minds.

            “Sakura?” called Tomoyo.

            “ ‘Sup girlie?” Sakura hopped over next to her friend.

            “You think we can do _this_ right here?” she pointed at the pages she read.

            “Ms. Albarn-Evans?” Sakura called to her teacher, as she walked over to the two girls.

            “It’s…” Maka sighed out of frustration, “…you gotta call me Ms. Albarn during school hours, okay? Sorry. Anyways, what’s up?”

            “Sorry, I forgot. Anyways, Tomoyo found _this_.”

            Maka scanned over the pages.

            “Huh…how convenient…” their teacher huffed, “That just makes our job a little easier.”

            “How so?” Sakura asked.

            “Well, you see, I don’t know squat about magic. We had a teacher here that knew more, but she quit.”

            “Some personal reasons?” Tomoyo enquired.

            “…yeah…how’d you guess?”

            “Tomoyo’s always had this great intuition,” Sakura chirped.

            “What happened exactly?” Tomoyo asked.

            “Well…” Maka looked around, “You didn’t hear it from me, okay?”

            Sakura and Tomoyo made a motion of locking their lips tight and throwing away the key.

            “Okay,” Maka sighed. She felt close to these girls already. It wasn’t really right to give out personal info about teachers, but something about being with these two made her feel less like a teacher and more like a student again.

            “She used to be hitched to one of the other teachers here. His name’s Ox Ford. He’s got a daughter here. She’s in your class…”

            “Who?” Sakura asked.

            “Beth…” Tomoyo breathed.

            “Beth Diehl?”

            Maka nodded.

            “Her mother’s got custody. Her name’s Kim Diehl. She…ran off with her weapon partner.”

            “So…she was in love with someone else…” Sakura muttered.

            “Yes…”

            “Do you know who he is?” Sakura assumed.

            Maka paused.

            “ _Her_ name is Jackie Dupre.”

            Sakura blushed, embarrassed.

            “Oh, gosh,” she stammered, “I shouldn’t have assumed that it was a guy ohdamnwhydoidothat…”

            Tomoyo patted her friend’s shoulder, smiling sweetly.

            “It’s okay, Sakura.”

            Sakura smiled back, shyly, and the girls giggled in relief. It was in this moment that Maka’s soul perception, an ability she used sparingly, saw their souls in more detail. Sakura was eminating friendly waves. She was a kind soul, who loved everyone she met unconditionally. She was also very spirited and courageous, even if she didn’t see it in herself.

            Tomoyo, on the other hand, had somewhat different waves, but her personality was very similar to her friend’s. She was a quieter sort of soul, who was very cunning and witty. Her waves were VERY different from Sakura’s though. While Sakura seemed to have a deep love for Tomoyo as a friend and companion, Tomoyo seemed to eminate stronger waves. Almost…like a romantic connection.

            Tomoyo was exactly like Jackie. She was in love with her meister. Her best friend.

            As soon as they snapped out of their all-too inappropriate conversation, at least by school standards, they began trying the spell.

           “So Ms. Albarn was telling me about her partner, Mr. Evans?” Sakura started, holding Tomoyo, who was now the scepter with the bird’s head.

           “What about him?” Tomoyo wondered.

           “His weapon form is a scythe!”

           “Really?!” her friend said, playfully.

           “Yeah, it’s this cool red and black blade.”

           “Oooooo! You wanna try for a scythe for this?”

           “Sure! You up for it?”

           “Only when you are, Sakura.”

           The two girls got in position, and Maka stood away with the book in her hands.

           “Alright, girls, have a picture of a blade-like weapon in your mind,” Maka instructed.

            The girls closed their eyes. Sakura envisioned what Maka Albarn’s scythe would’ve looked like. Tomoyo saw the red beak of her weapon form turn into a long, scythe-like blade. As their resonance strengthened, Sakura began to see the image that Tomoyo was seeing.

            “Do you have it?” their teacher asked.

            They nodded.

            “Good. Now, Ms. Sakura, I need you to chant this spell for me…” and her teacher began to read alound.

_Soul of Metal, bend to my will. Create a new shape, that I may cut down adversity. Lend me your power! RELEASE!_

            Sakura repeated the spell after Maka spoke, and she spun Tomoyo and lifted her into the air. Clow’s magic circle shone under Sakura’s feet as Tomoyo glowed a heavenly light before the red beak of the scepter transformed into a long, red scythe blade. The pink rod of the scepter grew longer and the white wings near the blade grew bigger. Tomoyo was now a scythe, coming a little over Sakura’s height.

            “Well done, ladies!” Maka cheered, as the magic circle disappeared, “Wanna try some of those moves I was teaching you?”

            Sakura nodded, enthusiastically, and she began twirling Tomoyo in a different fashion, Unlike the baton twirling moves she did before, Sakura began moving her whole body with her weapon, almost like they were dancing.

            It went slow at first, as Sakura tried getting used to the size of the scythe, and Tomoyo adjusted herself to her partner’s movements. Then, they picked up speed with more confidence, as Sakura, unintentionally, slashed through the teacher podium in the room.

            The podium split into three pieces, as soon as the two stopped their movements, and Sakura panicked as soon as she saw the sliced pieces of wood.

            “OH GOSH! OH GOD I…I’M SO SORRY!” the new scythe meister cried in distress.

            Maka brushed the dilemma off.

            “It’s fine,” she said, “Happens all the time.”

             It was this that caused Maka to start giggling.

            “You know, the same thing happened to me when I first started here!”

             At this, Sakura and Tomoyo joined in their instructor’s laughter. Tomoyo morphed back into her human form.

            “Really?” Sakura exclaimed, still giggling.

            “Yeah. Although, I…heh heh! I…I split the podium _and_ the teacher’s desk! HA HA!”

            The ladies continued to giggle, until Maka finally calmed down and went over to gather the pieces.

            “Alright, that’s enough for today. I’m gonna let Sid know we need a new podium. Next time, I’ll bring some stuff you can _really_ slice up.”

* * *

            The first couple of souls were fairly easy. They weren’t dangerous, as Sakura thought they’d be. They were just…a nuisance.

            Tomoyo ran into one of the spirits while taking a bubble bath. There were bubbles _everywhere_ in their student apartment. They stayed at Touya’s apartment, which was close by, to her father’s great relief.

            Catching them took a few tries, given how fast they were. The one that bubbled up the apartment certainly wasn’t very fast. It just liked to hide.

            Once they found it, it a quick slash of the scythe and they a spell with the actual scepter…or sealing wand, as they started to call it, in order to capture it in one of the cards.

            They looked a little like Tarot cards: a serene illustration of an elaborately dressed person or creature with an inscription of a name at the bottom. This first one, of course, was called The BUBBLE.

            A few of these simpler ones were caught very quickly over the next several weeks. By November, they had captured eight: The BUBBLE, SWEET, LOOP, SONG, MOVE, RAIN, CLOUD, and SLEEP. Sakura could see SLEEP, LOOP, and possibly MOVE being useful in battle one way or another, but so far, they just seemed rather useless. The only use she found for SWEET was to help make sweets for Kero-chan to eat, but that got old really fast. And it was hard to get any of the cards to behave against Sakura’s will. So, catching them was all a matter of strategy of physical skills rather than with magic.

            November hit, and one day the winds outside got very rough. Maka explained that since it’s a desert city, they tended to have sandstorms or strong winds come through during some of the seasons. However, something seemed off. During a particularly bad rainstorm during September, that’s when the girls came across the RAIN spirit. This wind had the same sort of presence about it.

            Sporting stylish pants, a top, and a cloak used to keep wind and sand out of their eyes, Sakura and Tomoyo headed out of the city, where the wind seemed to pick up. Sand became their newest terrain the farther they went.

            As they walked more, Sakura saw a shadowy figure up ahead. She tried to make it out who it was before getting too close, but it was still too hard to tell. Sakura decided to take a chance and walk towards it.

            “Sakura, let’s not! We don’t know who it is!” Tomoyo beckoned. She wore a long dress with a similar cloak over it. She sifted her feet through the sand as fast as she could to catch up to her friend.

            As Sakura got closer, one figure turned into two. She saw a male and female shape and then…two hair buns?

            She figured it out.

            “Li! Meiling!” she cried, and the two cousins turned around, both wearing cloaks. Meiling sported a somewhat-traditional Chinese outfit: baggy pants, a long dress with slits down the side and a Mandarin-styled collar, all with white and red fabrics with gold lining. Syaoran wore a matching outfit, only his “dress” was more of a shirt, and the red was replaced with a dark green. The two also sported goggles to keep the sand out of their eyes. As soon as Tomoyo saw the goggles, she made a mental note to get her and Sakura a pair next time.

            “What brings you out here? Did you sense a spirit of Clow too?” Sakura asked innocently.

            “We felt it earlier,” Syaoran answered.

            “Yeah, before you two had a clue…” Meiling added, with a bite in her tone.

            “It it some sort of sand spirit? Or something else?” Sakura continued to ask.

            “It’s a wind spirit of some sort,” Syaoran said, in a serious tone, “and it seems very upset.”

            The four of them ducked as they felt a presence speed towards them. The shape swerved back and went towards a rock in the middle of a huge dip in the sand. Sakura looked to see the figure of a woman with long, elegant hair combed back and a sort of feat design on her forehead. She seemed to be putting her face in her hands and crying.

            Sakura, feeling sorry of this spirit somehow, began walking ahead of the other three and slid into the ditch.

            “WHAT ARE YOU DOING?” Syaoran cried.

            “THE HELL?” Meiling stammered.

            “SAKURA PLEASE COME BACK HERE! YOU’LL HURT YOURSELF!” her friend beckoned. The spirit didn’t stir.

            “IT’S OKAY,” Sakura hollered back, “I THINK SHE’S JUST UPSET!”

            “SHE COULD BE TRICKING YOU, KINOMOTO! GET BACK HERE!” Syaoran retaliated, but it was too late to try and convince her. Sakura was already so close.

            The spirit seemed to keep weeping as Sakura reached out a comforting hand, like she could touch the woman’s shoulder.

            “Are you hurt, ma’am?”

            The spirit stopped. The winds grew stronger.

            “Don’t worry! I’m not going to hurt you!” Sakura cooed, and the spirit turned to her.

            She seemed to emanate a pale, yellow glow, and her eyes were the same color. They seemed to widen in surprise at Sakura’s presence. Sakura then noticed that the woman had long, pointy ears, almost like an elf.

            “You are a spirit of Clow, right?” Sakura asked. This seemed to make the woman very upset, as her brow furrowed and she flew into the air, spinning. The winds grew stronger, blowing Sakura to the ground.

            “IT’S OKAY!” she cried, “I’M NOT GOING TO HURT YOU! JUST TELL ME WHAT’S WRONG!”

            “SAKURA I DON’T THINK THIS IS WORKING!” her friend beckoned.

            “KINOMOTO, YOU CAN’T REASON WITH IT!” Syaoran tried to inform her.

            “STOP TRYING TO TALK TO THE DAMN THING AND SLASH AT IT!” Meiling cried, as she motioned Syaoran to turn into a sword. Syaoran did so, and Meiling began to taunt the spirit, as it flew towards her.

            “COME AND GET ME, YOU BIG WINDBAG!”

            She sliced through the spirits body, but nothing happened. It was, literally, like cutting through air. The spirit spun towards the rock again.

            “DON’T TAUNT HER! IT’S ONLY MAKING IT WORSE!” Sakura cried.

            “AT LEAST I’M DOING SOMETHING, YOU STUPID HOE!” Meiling snapped.

            “Meiling, please, don’t…” Syaoran muttered.

            “WELL SHE IS!”

            “DON’T TALK TO MY BEST FRIEND THAT WAY!” yelled Tomoyo.

            As the two girls argued with Syaoran trying to calm them down, Sakura tried speaking with the spirit.

            “WAS IT ME MENTIONING CLOW THAT UPSET YOU?” Sakura asked. At this the spirit slowed down, sitting down on the rock again, still visibly upset.

            “Did he hurt you?” she continued. The spirit only moaned and began to weep.

            “I’m sorry. I won’t mention him. But…don’t worry. I won’t let him hurt you again.”

            The spirit looked at Sakura again. This time she squinted her eyes, as if trying to recognize the person in front of her.

            “My name is Sakura,” the young meister spoke, “I won’t let Clow get to you, okay?”           

            The spirit’s eyes widened as soon as Sakura smiled at her. The spirited spun around, as if overjoyed, and the desert winds seemed to calm down. The spirit took the winds surrounding her and spun herlsef around Sakura, playfully, lifting the girl slightly off the ground.

            The three other teenagers looked over in surprise. Sakura giggled, as she felt light breezes surrounding her, blowing her cloak around gracefully. She spread her arms open, sending waves of her soul through her body and letting them emanate to the spirit surrounding her. As the spirit smiled gently, she placed Sakura gently back on her feet. She looked at Sakura straight in her eyes, as if she was seeing an old friend. Holding Sakura’s face in her wispy hands, she kissed the young meister on the forehead.

            Sakura, greatly confused by this, squeaked and the spirit made what sounded like a giggle before spinning her form into a smaller, spherical shape. The wind around them blew strongly, causing Sakura to shield her face. When she opened her eyes, the spirit was now in the shape of a soul, round and gelatin like. Unlike good souls, which were blue, or kishin souls, which were red, or even witch’s souls, which were usually purple, spirits of Clow were a golden color. Sakura held out her hands, cradling the golden jelly-like orb in her palms.

            The other three slid into the ditch, running up to Sakura in haste.           

            “Are you alright?” Tomoyo cried.

            “How did you…” Meiling breathed.

            “What the hell happened?” Syaoran exclaimed.

            “I’m…I’m not sure…” Sakura replied weakly, and then, “But yeah um…Tomoyo, I need to…seal it…”

            Tomoyo nodded. She turned into the sealing wand, and Sakura grabbed a card out of her pouch. She repeated the spell she practiced with the first eight.

            “ _Return to the form you were meant to be! CLOW CARD!_ ”

            And with that, the soul swirled itself into the stiff piece of paper, glowing until a picture began to form.

            This spirit was called The WINDY.

            Tomoyo turned back into a human, as Sakura stared at the card.

            “What are you thinking, Sakura?”

            “I dunno,” she replied, “…but…it was like the spirit…knew me…”

            “Why is that, you think?” Syaoran asked, genuinely curious.

            “I…I don’t know,” Sakura mumbled to herself.

            “Well, another card is captured, and I suppose that’s all that counts for the time being, right?” her friend chimed in.

            “Yeah…I guess…” and Sakura put the card in the pouch with the rest of them.

            “DAMMIT!” Meiling cursed, “Even when we find before you, you still catch it! That’s not fair.”

            “Let it go, Meiling,” her cousin finally snapped.

            “But...”

            “Look, it’s obvious that I can’t reap any of these kinds of souls! You saw how I just cut through the wind like that! Let’s just…”

            Syaoran sighed and didn’t bother to finish.

            “Let’s just head back before the sun beats down on us,” Tomoyo suggested, and everyone began treading through the sand.

            The skies began to clear, but the group grew uneasy, as they returned to Death City.


	8. Swallow

AN: So…I wonder if any of the other spirits are gonna be like WINDY. … Nah, probably not. Welp! **_TRIGGER WARNING: EMETOPHOBIA_**

* * *

            There, of course, would have to be more windy sandstorms over the course of the group’s adventures. The SAND more or less flooded the streets of Death City with sand. Luckily, with some time and patience, Sakura used SAND to clean the city back up.

            Then, there was The FLY spirit, a gigantic bird that flew over the city, causing gusts of wind. It acted the same as WINDY. However, as quickly as it came, it disappeared before Sakura, Tomoyo, or even the Li cousins could grab it.

            After a night of dreaming, Sakura had a vision of a small bird with a bloodied ankle. As she reached for the creature, it flapped straight into her arms, as if it too recognized her. It began to coo and chirp happily. But soon, it’s chirps were replaced with the sound of her alarm, waking her up to be ready for the day.

            Sakura put on her DWMA school uniform: Black, long-sleeved shirt, with a white sailor’s collar, a white tie at the front of the collar that looked like Lord Death’s signature skull mask, a maroon plaid skirt with ruffles showing below, long black socks, and her long black boots with bubblegum pink soles.

            Sadly, Sakura had outgrown her old rollerblades. However, after some store hunting she and Tomoyo did over one free weekend, she found a special pair of strap-of rollerblades. She strapped them onto her boots, readied her safety pads on her knees and elbows, put on a pair of padded, fingerless gloves, and she was ready to go.

            While gliding down the cobblestone streets that somewhat smoothed down over time on some streets, she noticed branches growing through some of the cracks. Deciding she had time to spare before classes, she followed the strange growths down an alley, as they grew larger and larger. At the end of the alley way were plants of all sorts: vines, small wildflowers, and other various fauna, all of it most green. Sakura looked up to see the shape of a woman coved in vines coming from the wall.

            When this woman saw Sakura, joy spread across her face, as she let a vine reach out and touch Sakura’s shoulder. In a panic, she jumped away from the moving vine, but then the vines grew numerous and began to wrap around her. Sakura was now terrified, fearing the woman would suffocate her with plant life. But then, it occurred to Sakura that the vines weren’t squeezing her tightly. They were holding her in an embrace of some sort. However, as Sakura struggled, it was clear this embrace was going to last too long to Sakura’s liking.

            It happened so quickly. There was a slashing noise. She heard branches and vines snap, and then the felt the vines release her as the womanly entity screamed in pain.

            As Sakura fell, she felt someone catch her. A man…a boy close to her size. She looked up.

            “Li?”

            Syaoran had a determined look on his face. One arm held Sakura protectively while the other arm was in front of them, a blade jutting out of his forearm. The vine-covered woman became frightened, as Syaoran began motioning for a magical attack. Sakura recognized it.

            He was going to set the woman on fire.

            “No, wait!” Sakura cried, reaching for his blade arm and pushing it down.

            “But…it was trying to hurt you, wasn’t it?” he asked.

            “Well…no…I don’t think so. Here, help me up.”

            He let go of her and helped her on her feet. The woman was still shaking.

            “It’s okay,” Sakura cooed, “We’re not gonna hurt you.”

            At this, the woman relaxed a little. Syaoran turned his arm back to normal, holding his hands up in submission.

            “See?” Sakura pointed out, and Syaoran slowly nodded. The woman sighed in relief. She seemed to float away from the wall, vines and branches following her, and she stood in front of the two of them.

            She looked at Sakura and then Syaoran, her mouth slowly turning into a smile before she morphed her body into a spherical shape, and her plants swirling into a small vortex before them.           

            The green turned to gold, and the woman was now a golden, gelatin orb. A spirit of Clow.

            “We…we did it!” Sakura breathed.

            “Well… _you_ did it,” Syaoran tried to correct her.

            “Noooo, I meant _we_.”

            “But…I didn’t do anything…”

            “That’s not true, Li. You freed me. Even though she didn’t mean any harm, I don’t think she would’ve let me go, if you hadn’t come. So…thank you!”

            Syaoran looked at her, genuinely surprised. She was smiling as cheerful as she usually did. He felt his soul relaxing a little, as if being near her gave him some sort of peace of mind. He couldn’t explain why that was, though.

            They walked out of the alley, the sun shining brighter than ever. Sakura saw that Syaoran was sporting a bicycle. He dug through his pocket to find his phone and look at the time. It read 8:15 a.m.

            “Well, I wonder how I’m going to hold onto this…” Sakura pouted. Her backpack was full, and she felt strange just holding it in her hands. She searched frantically for something for something to use. Syaoran scratched his head.

            “I could … carry it and give it to you when we get to class,” he suggested.

            “You can?”

            “Yeah, I’m…a weapon. Maybe I could…I dunno…”

            Sakura frowned and then it hit her. She remembered something about weapons being able to swallow kishin souls. Would this count though? The spirits were certainly troublesome, but they weren’t necessarily evil (not all of them, anyways). She didn’t know if this would affect Syaoran in any way or even if he would ever really give it back to her. He was trying to capture these spirits of Clow as well.

            After a moment of silence, Sakura breathed out a heavy sigh.

            “Okay, you can carry it. Only if you promise to give it back as soon as you see me in class!”

            “I promise,” he told her, face cold and serious.

            “Pinky swear?”

            She held out her pinky, and he looked down, shocked. He cheeks went red at such an innocent gesture. He hadn’t done this sort of thing. Not really since he and Meiling were about seven. Hesitantly, he stuck his pinky out, cheeks red in embarrassment. The two fingers wrapped around each other, and with a small squeeze and light shake, the pinky swear was complete.

            Sakura handed the soul over to Syaoran, who stared at it for a second. As he looked up, Sakura rolled away, waving behind her.

            “SEE YOU IN CLASS!” she called, smiling wide, and he waved a little back. He looked at the soul once again. Thankfully, it wasn’t immense in size, and with one gulp, Syaoran swallowed the spirit of Clow. He hopped on his bike and quickly headed to class.

* * *

            “There you are! What the hell took you so lon- …Are you okay?”

            Meiling looked worried as Syaoran sat down in his seat, his face pale; maybe even a little green. His eyes looked sunken into his skull as he sat down, wrapping his arms around himself.

            “ ‘M fine…” he chocked out. Meiling didn’t look convinced.

            “You seemed fine this morning. What the hell happened?”

            “There was…a Clow…spirit…I…caught it…”

            “WHAT?! Really? Where is it??”

            Syaoran motioned towards his stomach.

            “I…swallowed…it…”

            Meiling’s jaw nearly dropped out of her socket.

            “Th…said…weapons…could eat…souls…and…”

            “Well, YEAH, if they’re evil!” Meiling corrected, “Spirits of Clow are on, like, the borderline of good and evil, so…Syaoran, I don’t think you should’ve…”

            “Iknowiknow…”

            “Well…what do we do?!”

            “mmmidunno…” he mumbled, as he began twitching, “I tried upchucking it…all I did was…barf my breakfast…and…”

            Before he could finish his thought, Syaoran collapsed onto the desk.

            “Syaoran? SYAORAN?” Meiling cried, but he was passed out. People began to murmur, as Meiling tried to shake her cousin awake.

            His thoughts spun, and he felt as though the whole world was tilting. Everything around him was liquid as he stared at his own reflection.

            At least…that’s what he thought it was. Upon closer inspection, it was another person. A doppelganger. The only difference was that the other Syaoran’s right eye was a bright shade of blue. His shirt was black and ripped to shreds, with sleeves coming just above his elbows. His pants were baggy and he wore clunky black boots. His mouth, shockingly, was covered in blood, as were his hands.

            “Syaoran…” he whispered, as he reached out to him through the murky darkness.

            Syaoran felt as though he recognized this image in some way. Aside from this person looking almost exactly like him, this exact moment felt as though it happened before.

            Images flashed before his eyes. A man with blonde hair and blue eyes. His eyes shutting. His left eye socket crying tears of blood. A man with short black hair and red eyes. A sword. No…two swords. He reached of one. There was fire. The whole world was on fire. He felt as through his flesh was searing off his body. He wanted to scream.

            He couldn’t.

            Outside his mind, Maka Albarn-Evans tried waking him. A woman with dark brown skin, bright blue eyes, and bandages wrapped around most of her face, tried tending to him, lifting him up and dabbing his forehead with a cool, wet cloth.

            Sakura came into the room, after removing her skates and taking some time in the restroom. She saw the crowd of people huddled in one area of the room and quickly walked over.

            With some pushing and shoving, she saw an unconscious Syaoran, pale, green, and sweating. She moved over and sat next to him.

            “What happened?!”

            “He apparently swallowed a spirit of Clow…according to his meister here,” Maka explained, pointing to Meiling.

            “I haven’t seen a fit like this in ages…” the bandaged woman, Mira Nygus, said, “Not since…”

            “Asura…Crona…the black blood…” Maka whispered so low that not all of the student could here.

            Sakura looked at the pale young man, an ache forming in the pit of her stomach. She placed a hand on his shoulder, earning her a glare from Meiling.

            As she tried to ignore Meiling’s harsh stare, Sakura closed her eyes, hand still on Syaoran’s shoulder, as she tried to maybe find his soul wavelength. She felt that was the best she could do.

            Syaoran felt his skin begin to cool, the searing sensation starting to fade. The images started fading away, and his doppelganger disappeared. New images came to his mind.

            There was a girl. Cherry blossom petals fell around her. He couldn’t see her figure very well, but a light surrounded her silhouette as she reached a hand out to him.

            The presence felt warm and safe. He felt calm now, as he grabbed the girl’s hand, light blinding his vision.

            His eyes opened. His head was leaning on Sakura’s hand resting on his shoulder.

            As he sat up, he felt the urge to vomit. Something round was coming up his throat. He began gagging.

            “Oh geez…ALRIGHT KIDS, BACKIT UP!” cried Nygus, and the children immediately obeyed, except for Sakura and Meiling sitting on either side of him.

            Sakura started rubbing his back.

           “Stop that…” Meiling gritted out.

           “I’m just _trying_ to _help_ ,” Sakura hissed as something gold and slimy came out of Syaoran’s mouth.

           It was the spirit of Clow, covered merely in saliva and, thankfully, nothing else.

           There was a sigh of relief throughout the room. Meiling gripped Syaoran in a tight hug.

          “OH THANK GOD! YOU HAD ME SO WORRIED!!!”

          Sakura let out a breath of air, patting Syaoran on the back. Tomoyo rushed over, a paper towel in her hands. She took the soul and wiped any excess drool off of it as well as his hands. Color began to return to Syaoran’s face, and he sighed in relief.

          He looked over and saw Sakura smiling at him, and he immediately felt his stomach sink. He thought he was going to puke again. Luckily, he didn’t really have to.

          “Are you alright?” Sakura asked. Syaoran tried to rub the back of his head as Meiling loosened her grip on him.

          “Well…I’m definitely feel better…a little lightheaded…”

          “Here you go, hun,” Nygus chimed, as she handed him a pack of oyster crackers and some water, something that would be light on his stomach.

          “I was just…trying to…carry it…I thought…” he stuttered. Sakura stopped him.

          “It doesn’t matter at this point. I’m just glad you’re okay,” she smiled.

          “Why…”

          “Hmm?”

          “Why are you so nice to me?”

          Sakura giggled.

          “I guess…that’s just how I am.”

          Syaoran stared at her. He really couldn’t believe someone so nice could exist. No one is this nice. He _swallowed_ a soul, one that was rightfully hers. If it had stayed in his body, she might never see it again. Was she…forgiving him somehow? Was she secretly holding a grudge against him for it and would turn on him when he least expected it? He wasn’t sure.

          However, he could feel her soul wavelength radiating on him. It felt warm and welcoming. It felt like the best feeling in the world. He didn’t want it to leave.

          To Meiling annoyance, Syaoran handed over the soul he swallowed. Tomoyo and Sakura held a blank Clow Card in their hands, chanted the spell, and the soul was sucked into the piece of paper and plastic.

          The card read The WOOD.

          As the class began to settle, Maka started her lessons for the day. She kept it to a short lecture, due to all the turmoil. As the bell rang, Sakura and Syaoran went their separate ways for the moment. He could feel the warmth of her soul fading away as she walked with Tomoyo down the hall.


	9. Time

AN: Kero and Yukito have been away for a while. So…let’s…bring them back, shall we? Somehow? Also, have Soul and Maka being teachers some more…

* * *

            “Let’s see here…after tonight’s capture, we now have….nine ten… _TWELLLVE_ CLOW CARDS!”

            Cerberus, now Kero-chan or Kero, yelled enthusiastically as the two girls sat with the collected cards in hand. Sakura jumped up, clutching each other’s hands and bouncing in excitement.

            “We’re doing it, Sakura!” Tomoyo cheered.

            “I KNOW! WE’RE SO CLOSE!” Sakura cried.

            Kero looked at them with an eyebrow raised.

            “Almost there?”

            “Well…we have twelve, right? Certainly, we’re close to gathering all of these spirits, right?” Tomoyo answered, inquisitively.

            “You only have a few of them, girls,” Kero replied, “There’s still a LOT more left to catch.”

            “How many more are there? Or…how many spirits are there, exactly?” Sakura asked anxiously.

            “Fifty-two…no…fifty-three,” Kero said.

            “ **FIFTY-THREE?!** ” the girls cried.

            “Yup,” Kero nodded, “This isn’t something that’s gonna be over in just a few months. This could take the whole school year.”

            “But it’s Christmas time!” Sakura cried, “Can’t we, I dunno, take a vacation from this or something?”

            “Sorry, ladies, you’ve still gotta find them over the holiday break.”

            Sakura and Tomoyo sat back down, sulking. Then, Tomoyo seemed to get an idea.

            “How about we invite our families down here?” she suggested.

            “Uh…my dad doesn’t really know why I go here…I dunno if that’s such a good idea…” Sakura said sadly.

            “Why haven’t you told him?”

            “…. I know it’s gonna sound dumb…”

            “I don’t mind dumb,” her friend teased. Sakura giggled.

            “Okay…. I guess…I just don’t want him worrying about me. He’s already busy with teaching at the university back home. I know how dangerous this all is…and…I don’t think he’ll understand that I can handle it, and, like….ugh… I dunno….”

            Tomoyo listened intently to her friend. Sakura seemed to be struggling, mentally.

            “Tell me what you’re thinking…” Tomoyo said, earnestly.

            “I feel like I’m on some sort of autopilot. Like…keeping this a secret is what I’m supposed to do. But…it doesn’t feel like what I want to do…”

            “Then, what _do_ you want to do?”

            “I…want him to know…he’s my dad. If I keep this a secret…it’s gonna come out sooner or later…”

            “Then, that’s what I think you should do,” Tomoyo smiled.

            Sakura breathed for a moment and smiled as well.

            “I already told my mother,” Tomoyo admitted, “She…took it well, to some extent…”

            Sakura raised an eyebrow.

            “Well, she was shocked at first, of course! Then, after settling down, she said she’d try to see if we could find help for me, managing my gift. We found the DWMA brochures, and here we are!”

            Kero rested on Sakura’s shoulder.

            “Don’t worry, kiddo. You’re gonna be fine.”

            Sakura nodded, feeling confident about the future ahead. She grabbed Tomoyo’s hand.

            “C’mon, let’s go home. I’m beat. How about you?”

            Tomoyo’s cheeks flushed, but she smiled.

            “Yeah…me too…”

            The girls along with Kero on Sakura’s shoulder ran down the empty streets. Sakura pulled out the new card they caught. It had a picture of a small, rabbit-like creature with tiny wings on it. She and Tomoyo held it out, and yelled it’s name.

            “ _JUMP_!”

            Small wings appeared on Sakura’s shoes. Grabbing Tomoyo’s hand, they hopped through the air, bouncing from house to house, giggling along the way, as they reached their apartment.

* * *

            “Hello?”

            Sakura swallowed after hearing her father’s voice on the line.

            “Hey, dad.”

            “Sakura! Oh, it’s so good to hear your voice. How are you?”

            “I’m good, dad.”

            “So…I hear that Christmas break is coming up…”

            “Yeah…I wanted to talk to you about that.”

            “…What is it, sweetheart?”

            “Well…big bro and I were wondering…if you’d like to come and visit us?”

            There was a pause.

            “Let me check on something…”

            Sakura felt tension in her shoulders as she heard the sound of paper, like pages flipping.

            “Okay, Christmas break doesn’t start for another week for us, here in Tomoeda. Is that gonna be okay?”

            “That’s fine, dad.”

            “Well, if you’re okay with it…I would _love_ to come over and visit you.”

            Sakura gasped in excitement.

            “Oh thank you! Thank you, dad!”

            “No problem, sweetheart. What’s the weather like?”

            “Warm…”

            “Really? In December?”

            “It’s in the desert, so we really don’t get snow.”

            “Well, that will certainly make packing much lighter.”

            They both laughed.

            “Okay, well, I will see you all in a week, okay? I gotta go! Need to grade these midterm papers.”

            “Okay…”

            “…. I love you, dear.”

            “I love you, too, dad.”

            “Tell Touya I love him too.”

            “Will do.”

            “Bye, Sakura!”

            “Bye, dad.”

            She pressed the END buttom on her cell.

* * *

            Winter break began. Most kids went home. However, some stayed behind to enjoy the comfortably warm weather. Either parents and guardians were coming to visit or some children had no guardians to speak of.

            Maka sat at the kitchen table, finishing up loading the midterm grades into the computer. Soul did the same.

            “So…here’s something weird…how’s that Syaoran kid doing in your class?”           

            Maka raised an eyebrow but answered immediately.

            “All As. Why?”

            “This kid is _killing_ it in my class. Like…I see him practicing sometimes in the classroom after class is over, right? I went over to him and told him his grade was already excellent. But he just thanked me and went straight back to practicing.”

            “So…what’s your point?”

            “He’s reminding me of you…” he finally admitted, “He works too hard for all those As. It’s weirding me out.”

            “Great, I remind you of a thirteen-year-old boy,” his meister teased.

            Soul looked up, giving her an eye roll, before they both started laughing.

            “Okay, that one was pretty good, Maka,” Soul chuckled, “But, nah, he’s just a hardworker…an overachiever like you.”

            “Aaww, you’re so sweet,” his wife replied, with only a hint of teasing in her voice.

            “Yeah, but, anyways, get this. I just found it weird because Black«Star’s been telling me what a little shit he can be.”

            “Really…”

            “Yeah, which seemed strange given his work ethic. So, I ended up talking to him after class one day. He _did_ give me some grief one time. I think he just doesn’t like me, for whatever reason.”

            “I know the feeling.”

            “Right, so anyways, I pull him aside. Ask him what’s wrong. Tells me he’s been feeling like a burden. Like he can’t do anything right.”

            Maka looked up and frowned. She seemed concerned.

            “So, I decided to give him some advice. Told him how important his role as weapon is. He has a duty to protect his meister. He seemed to understand that pretty quickly. I told him all he has to do is protect his meister. Guide him or her in the right direction, you know? You gotta help them like they help you.”

            Maka smiled.

            “Good advice,” she said.

            “Yeah, well…it’s the least I could do.”

            “I told you that you’d make a good teacher, didn’t I?”           

            “Yeah, yeah…”

            “You didn’t believe me, but I knew.”

            “I still don’t believe you.”

            Maka rolled her eyes before giving him a gentle smiled. He smiled back the same way. He made one last click on the keyboard.

            “Okay, I’m all done,” he yawned, stretching his arms over his head, “What d’ ya want for dinner?”

            “What d’ we got?”

            Soul walked over to the fridge.

            “Leftover pizza sound good?”

            “Sure.”

            He grabbed the pizza, put two pieces on each plate, and popped them in the microwave.

            “So…what about Sakura’s friend?” Maka asked, “How’s she doing?”

            “All As. I swear, that girl doesn’t even have to try.”

            “So…we got one prodigy and one hard worker, it sounds like.”

            “What about the meisters? Sakura and um…Meiling?”

            “Eh…they passed. Cs and Bs.”

            “There’s a shock.”

            “Yeah, it’s weird. Sakura’s the one catching those Clow Souls or whatever, Meiling and her partner haven’t gotten _any_.”

            “ _Any_?”

            “Zip. Nada. None. Zero.”

            Before they could finish their thought, the microwave went off. As soon as both pieces were done, Soul sat the plates down. He grabbed Maka a water, which she thanked him for. He grabbed himself a cherry cola.

            “You think their success is because of Tomoyo?” Maka asked.

            “I can’t say…” Soul pondered.

            “Maybe it has something to do with Sakura’s soul…”

            “What makes you say that?”

            “Well, I’ve been keeping an eye on her in class. Since a student’s soul wavelength changes in strength over time, I made sure Sakura was developing at the pace she needs to go.”

            “And?”

            “Well…it’s strange. She’s very powerful, but…you can tell she’s holding back a little, like she’s scared she’s going to hurt someone. And there seems to be power hidden within her that…I don’t think she knows she has.”

            “That much?”

            “Yeah. And I noticed something else…”

            Soul started taking a sip of his soda.

            “An anti-demon wavelength,” she finished.

            Soul spat out his drink.

            “What?!”

            “I _know_! It’s weird. I’ve never seen a witch with that type of ability. And her soul…it’s possible that it’s…Grigori too…Death, this is all so confusing.”

            “So…she’s a witch…with a Grigori Soul… _and_ an anti-demon wavelength…”

            “Seems so…lemme think…Gopher had a Grigori soul…but…hmmm…was he a sorcerer or…yes. Yes, I think he was. So the Grigori soul’s not impossible, but…the anti-demon wavelength?”

            Maka was lost in her thoughts. Soul took a swig of soda and a bite of pizza before motion to Maka.

            “Eat. It’ll clear your head.”

            Maka nodded.

            “Sorry, maybe I’m over-thinking it.”

            “Yeah…just a little,” he smirked.

            Maka smiled, taking a bite of pizza. It was nice and warm, as she swallowed it down her throat. They ate and drank as they talked.

            “Sounds like her soul’s like yours…”

            “Yeah, a little…her personality is different though. She’s a very giving sort of person. She’s very…optimistic. Very little will you ever see her upset or angry.”

            “Sounds a little like her weapon. Although…”

            “Although what?”

            “She kinda…broods…like…I dunno…some dumbass in class made fun of her weapon form or whatever, and she just…stared this kid down. I thought for a second she was going to snap.”

            “Did she?”

            “Well, she smacked him, after a few more taunts. Then she kinda sat down and…brooded? Is that a word?”

            “Yes.”

            “Okay. But yeah, she was like that until the end of class.”

            “Huh…I never would’ve guessed.”

            “Now, the Li kid, on the other hand…”

            “Hot-button temper?”

            “Yup!”

            “So’s his meister. She gets _pissed_ when she messes up or gets picked on. She broke a girl’s nose.”

            “Oh my God…” he started cracking up.

            “Yep, said something about wanting to go out with Syaoran or something…then BOOM. Right in the nose.”

            “She’s pretty protective of him, isn’t she?”

            “Heh…yeah…it’s almost like she’s got a cru…”

            They stopped and looked at each other.

            “You don’t think…” Soul started.

            Then they both shook it off.

            “Nah.”

            Maka took a swig of water.

            “That’d be weird,” Soul huffed.

            “Well, in this country, I’m sure.”

            “Is it legal where they’re from?”

            “Possibly…?” Maka typed into the search bar on her laptop, “Well, it’s illegal in this state.”

            “Someone should tell the poor girl.”

            “Maybe, if they really want to, they can wait and get married in Florida.”

            “Florida?”

            “Yeah, it’s legal to marry your first cousin in Florida.”

            Soul started laughing, and soda nearly blew out of his nose. This, in turn, got Maka laughing.

            This was how they would spend most evenings: eating cheap dinner, grading papers, talking about their students. While the excitement of their younger days fighting kishin was gone, they at least had smaller moments like this.

* * *

            Meiling finished her last sit-up and got up off the floor. The sun rose, making the sky into a rainbow of warm pinks and oranges, as she looked out the window. It reminded her of mornings back at home. Syaoran would wake her up early to see the sunrise. It was something his mother did with him once. They were five.

            One particular sunrise, she asked him to be his bride. They were six.

            “But…we’re family…right?”

            “It doesn’t matter, Shao! You and me won’ts be lonely.”

            “Don’t you find boys gross?”

            “We won’t be gross no more when we’re adults. And we won’t have to wait for our moms to drive us to our houses. We can be together all the time!”

            “I dunno…”

            “Pleeeeeeease, Syaoran? I don’t wanna be alone when I’m an adult. Do you?”

            “Well…no…I guess not…”

            “Pinky swear!”

            “Yeah…pinky swear…”

            It was so innocent then. And then, her mother was gone. The Li family was a matriarchy. While there were men in the family, they were absent and never got involved in the family. She had no one else. All she had now were her aunt and her cousins.

            She supposed it was because they were the same age that they got along so well as kids. Now they were teenagers. Things were changing. He would want different things from life. Even though he was still the same person, she could feel that he was already changing, in body…and soul.

            She didn’t love him romantically. That wouldn’t be right for a number of reasons. However, she always felt the need to protect him. She just…didn’t know how at this point. These weren’t bullies on the playground. There were spirits. There were girls and boys of all kinds. These were changes. Shifts in the universe, for better or worse.

            She continued to stare at the sunrise, hoping it would stay there so she wouldn’t have to thinking about these things. She wanted it all to stop.

            She froze. Literally froze.

            And then, a hand grabbed her arm.

            “Syaoran?”

            “Meiling, come on, we gotta go. It’s a spirit.”

            Syaoran took her hand, and they ran through the house, out the apartment door, and down the hall. When they got outside, there was a clock tower on their building. The second hand stood still as the world around them looked like a static television screen.

            “We need to get up there,” Syaoran stated.

            “Well, how?” his cousin asked.

            “Resonate with me,” he commanded. She seemed taken aback.

            “It’s okay. I’ll turn into a weapon, and we’ll take this one out this time.”

            Her face looked conflicted. He seemed more confident today, for some reason. They couldn’t catch these things. It was clear, in their many attempts before.

            “We can do this,” he assured. Despite her doubt, she forced herself to believe him, even if it would turn out to be a lie. She gripped his hand tightly.

            They had to move forward.

            His body shifted, and he was now a sword in her hands.

            “Try the wind spell. Like we practiced?” he reminded her. She nodded and began to chant.

            “ **PETALS OF WIND, ANSWER MY CALL!** ”

            Wind surrounded her, as Syaoran used his soul wavelength to direct it. She flew through the air towards the clock tower. She landed gently on a ledge, where an opening for the bell on top stood. A elderly figure in a cloak held a staff and an hourglass.

            “You okay?” Syaoran asked.

            “Huh? Oh—yeah…’m fine,” Meiling heaved.

            Suddenly they stopped. They couldn’t move. This elderly man had them frozen in place. Then, Meiling heard a voice in her mind.

            _“Meiling…”  
            “Syaoran?!”_

_“Meiling, Can you hear me?”_

_“Yeah…”_

_“We’re talking through our resonance…sort of…”_

_“Oh…okay?”_

_“You need to use Thunder, okay?”_

_“Why Thunder?”_

_“It might stun him for a moment. It’ll give us time to reap him.”_

_“How is this happening?! How…Why—”_

_“I…practiced what I had been learning. Now, we need to use the Thunder spell. I can feel the stiffness loosening on us…”_

Meiling obeyed, forcing her hand to move in the right position. Holding out two fingers, she began chanting.

            “ **GODS OF THUNDER, ANSWER MY CALL!** ”

            She felt sparks fly from her fingers. A strike of lightening hit their target, and by then, Meiling and Syaoran were free.

            Meiling, seeing the figure couldn’t move, decided to leap towards him. With a wave of the sword, the elderly man split in two. It twisted and turned into the Clow Soul, and Meiling grabbed it with her bare hands.

            As the two fell, Syaoran turned back into a human, catching Meiling before they hit the ground. Various dusts and debris flew everywhere on their landing. As Syaoran held her in his arms, he let go, sitting up.

            “God, are you okay?” Meiling huffed.

            “I’m fine,” he said, “How about you?”

            “Yeah, I’m…I’m good.”

            They got up and shook the dust off themselves. After looking around, they found a door to get out through, and they came out into a new hallway. In Meiling’s grasp was the soul they reaped.

            “We got one.”

            Syaoran stared, eyes wide. They finally caught one by themselves. They got outside, where Sakura and Tomoyo seemed to be waiting.

            “Are you guys okay?” Sakura asked anxiously. She was in her pajamas, as was her weapon partner.

            “We’re fine,” Meiling told her calmly, “We caught it.”

            “You did? That’s wonderful!”

            “Yeah, but we have no way of sealing it,” Syaoran stated. He and Meiling seemed discouraged at this. Sakura noticed this almost immediately.

            “Here,” she said, “Let me see it…the soul, I mean.”

            Meiling seemed hesitant, thinking she was going to take it for herself. However, she gave up and handed it over. Tomoyo grabbed a blank card from their pouch, the two chanted the spell, and the soul was now captured. A picture of the elderly man with the staff and hourglass appeared. It read The TIME.

            “Here you go,” Sakura sing-songed, handing the card over to Meiling.

            Meiling raised an eyebrow.

            “You serious?”

            “Well….yeah! You two are the ones that caught it. It’s only fair. Oh! Tomoyo, can you hand me the pouch a sec?”

            Tomoyo seemed concerned, but she did so. Sakura dug through the pouch and held out ten blank cards.

            “Here, you can keep these for now. You can use them to catch some more. You know the spell to seal them, right?”

            Both Syaoran and Meiling nodded weakly, staring at the bright-eyed girl in disbelief.

            “Okay! And, you _both_ have to be holding the card, or Meiling’s gotta seal it using Li as a weapon, or it doesn’t work. If we need some back, we’ll let you know, but, we got plenty, so it’s all good.”

            “But…” Meiling began.

            “Don’t worry,” Sakura sighed, “There’s like…fifty of these things…”

            “ ** _FIFTY?!_** ” Meiling and Syaoran cried out in unison.

            “Fifty-three, to be exact,” Tomoyo corrected. Everyone groaned at this.

            “Well, I guess…how many do you guys have?” Meiling asked.

            “Twelve,” Sakura answered, “And now, maybe we can catch more! Split between the two of us, we’ll cover more ground this way.”

            “You sure the Creature of the Seal is okay with this?” Syaoran asked.

            Sakura gave a very wicked smile.

            “What Kero doesn’t know won’t hurt him. Besides, he needs to get over his grudge against you two. You’ve got a mission, right? So…now, we’ll _both_ be getting stuff done.”

            She winked, and Syaoran looked down, embarrassed. Meiling and Tomoyo both giggled.

* * *

            “How come the clock still says 7:00?” Yukito asked.

            Touya raised an eyebrow.

            “Um…you noticed it?”

            “Noticed what?”

            “Um…time stopped.”

            “Oh…really?”

            “ _Yeah_. Like…the whole area around us became static-like or something, and all the clocks stopped. The second hand stopped.”

            “Ooohhhh, I thought that static thing was my glasses getting blurry.”

            The two boys sat on the couch at Touya’s apartment. Yukito was a frequent visitor.

            “So, why did time stop?” Yukito asked.

            “Sakura said she had some special mission thing the school gave her. Must have something to do with it.”

            “Oh. Has she told you any details?”

            “Not really. I don’t think she wants me to worry.”

            “Aren’t you?”

            “Well, yeah, but something tells me she’ll be okay. It’s not like she’s by herself.”

            “There’s that good intuition of yours.”

            “Whatever…”

            Yukito chuckled. He opened his book, and Touya began flipping through channels. Peace filled the room. They didn’t realize it yet, but somehow, their souls were resonating. Like meister and weapon.


	10. Awareness

AN: We’re halfway through Part 1! I’m so excited. And then, I’ll be able to get into the meta stuff. That’s going to be fun. I will be crying on my keyboard during that period. Also, Resonance Bang Sign Ups are coming up! So there’ll hopefully be more than just one story on my account here. J Enjoy.

* * *

            Meiling prepared her fighting stance.

            “Come and get me,” she mouthed quietly. Syaoran stood anxiously at the side, as his cousin faced off a girl with white hair pulled up in a style similar to Meiling’s and a light blue fighting costume.

            This spirit of Clow apparently liked fistfights, as did Meiling. Their sword attacks seemed to do nothing, so Meiling challenged the spirit to a fight.

            The two ladies punched and kicked through the air. This was different from sparring with her cousin, Meiling noticed. Probably because it was another girl and this girl was an even better fighter than the both of them.

            When it seemed that Meiling lost, as she landed on her back, face covered in cuts and bruises, she faked to put her opponent off guard and then kicked her from below. The spirit fell to the ground. Meiling grabbed the girl by the arms and put her in a hold. For a while the girl struggled, and then she went limp. Meiling let go and they both got up.

            Surprisingly, the girl bowed, admitting defeat. Meiling commanded Syaoran to transform.

            “You were a pretty good opponent,” Meiling commented to the girl in front of her. With a slash of the sword, the girl smiled as she turned into a Clow Soul and was captured.

            Her name was The FIGHT.

* * *

            Sakura felt much more relaxed as the week drew out. She and Tomoyo didn’t have to go out nearly as much to collect spirits of Clow, much to Kero’s disappointment. All they caught that week was The FLOWER, a charming dancing spirit who was enjoying the Christmas parade passing through the city.

            It would still be a few days before Sakura’s dad arrived, and she had already prepared herself with what she needed to say.

            Meanwhile, Syaoran and Meiling already filled all of the blank cards. They caught The FIGHT, POWER, SHOT, MIST, WAVE, STORM, LIBRA, LOCK, SHIELD, and THROUGH. They also had The TIME. Between the two pairs, they all had twenty-four cards. Almost half.

            This peace didn’t last for long, however. The gusts of wind from The FLY spirit returned, as did Sakura’s dreams of the small bird with an injured leg. At the same moment, a pair of spirits, twins in matching outfits, began causing havoc through the city.

            The day Sakura and Tomoyo decided to go after the bird, Meiling and Syaoran were also out and ready to fight.

            “There are _two_ of these damn things running around?” Meiling complained.

            “It would seem so,” Tomoyo shrugged.

            “We’ll have to split up, I guess,” Sakura suggested, “Tomoyo and I will take care of the bird. Meiling, you and Li can take care of the twins. Here.”

            She threw them a blank card.

            “But…we didn’t even ask for…” Syaoran stuttered.

            “It’s okay. I knew you’d need one,” Sakura chirped.

            “How?”

            “…I dunno…just a feeling, I guess.”

            Kero flew around and greeted Sakura, then gripping onto her shoulder as another strong gust of wind rolled in.

            “Alright, kiddo, let’s get movin’! There’s two cards loose.”

            The pairs split up, ready for the business ahead.

            “Are you sure you’re ready to take on FLY, Sakura? Last time, you didn’t do so well,” Kero reminded her.

            “I know, but I think I figured it out, so…let’s do this.”

            Tomoyo smiled to herself before turning into the sealing wand. As the team got closer to the bird, the winds got stronger, blowing Sakura up into the air.

            “ _WOOD!_ ” she summoned, “ _Come to my aid!_ ”

            The card released the spirit, as she created a net of vines for Sakura to fall into. As the winds died down, Sakura fell into the net. Standing on the net, she used another card.

            “ _JUMP!_ ”

            She bounced high into the air, towards the monstrous bird. Before it could flap its wings once more, Sakura embraced the creature.

            “It’s okay. Don’t be scared. No one’s gonna hurt you.”

            The bird began to chirp and coo happily, and it began to shrink. Sakura and the bird then fell down into the vine net still hanging below. Sakura looked at the tiny creature and noticed it’s injured leg.

            “So you _were_ hurt! You poor thing,” she cooed.

            “Yeah, poor thing. Blowing us around the city. Feel real sorry for ya’,” kero murmured, and Sakura shot him a look. The bird cooed, curling up into Sakura’s arms before it turned into a Clow Soul all on it’s own.

            “We didn’t even need to reap it,” Tomoyo bemused as she turned back into her human form. The vine net disappeared, and the girls landed smoothly on the ground. They casted their spell, and the bird was safely in the card. A gorgeous bird appeared on the card, leg now healed, and the name read The FLY.

            “And now, for the other one…” Kero began.

            “WE GOT IT!” a voice shouted behind them. It was Meiling. She and Syaoran ran up with a Clow Card now in their hand. It read The TWIN.

            “HOW…” Kero stammered.

            “Oh, I gave them a blank one,” Sakura answered.

            “YOU DID WHAT?!”

            Sakura jumped back.

            “Well…they were able to reap a soul, and it seems they’re able to catch them, so I gave them some blank cards and let them catch a few…”

            “IS _THAT_ WHY WE’VE ONLY BEEN ABLE TO CATCH ONLY TWO SO FAR THIS WEEK?”

            “Why are you getting so mad?”

            “ _YOU’RE_ IN CHARGE OF CATCHING THESE CARDS! NOT THEM! THESE CARDS ARE YOUR RESPONSIBILITY!”

            “BUT THEY HAVE A MISSION, KERO! AND THEY WERE ABLE TO REAP SOULS _AND_ USE THE SPELL THAT SEALS THEM AWAY,” Sakura finally snapped.

            Kero groaned in agitation.

            “Give them here,” he beckoned to Syaoran and Meiling.

            “What? NO!” Meiling cried in defiance.

            “Kero-chan, they caught those fair and square,” Tomoyo interjected.

            “I don’t care. Sakura’s the one with the book. All of the cards belong in the book, so they should hand their batch over.”

            Sakura grabbed him by the scruff of his neck.

            “If I’m now the owner of the book, and am your master as you so claim, then I can do with you and these cards whatever I please! Now, STOP haggling them and let them have their share! I gave them those blank cards! They were able to reap those spirits of Clow! Let them have what’s rightfully theirs!”

            Sakura and Kero stared down for a moment before Kero gave up and sighed.

            “Fine,” he muttered to Meiling and Syaoran, “Just…don’t do anything stupid with them, got it?”

            “Wouldn’t dream of it,” Syaoran breathed, and the two glared at each other before the pairs went their separate ways.

* * *

            “Evenetually, they’re going to have to hand them over,” Kero told Sakura later.

            “But _why_?”

            “It’s complicated.”

            “We’re all ears.”

            Tomoyo stood to the side, feeling uneasy as the two of them fought. However, hearing this point in the conversation, she walked over to Sakura, and they both sat down.

            “Okay fine,” Kero began, “Once you have all of the cards, another guardian of the Clow will show up to give you a test.”

            “A test?” Sakura asked.

            “A test to see if you can really master these powerful spirits and use your magic well. Think of it as, like, a final for school…only a little more…dangerous.”

            “So it’s not enough that Sakura was able to open the book?” Tomoyo asked.

            “Well, she’s already become more powerful than when she first woke me up. When she’s caught all of the cards, her powers will have reached the levels she needs to complete this final test. Depending on how she goes about it, it’ll determine how she plans to use these cards: as a disciple of Clow or for her own purposes.”

            “So…if I don’t have all of these cards…” Sakura murmured.

            “…you can’t complete this final trial.”

            Sakura’s face fell into her hands.

            “I know you just wanna get along with these kids, Sakura, but it’s not going to get done what we’re trying to accomplish. And now that they have those spirits, the chances of getting them back are low.”

            “We don’t need them right now,” Sakura stated.

            “But…” Kero started.

            “Look, I don’t know why, but I just have this feeling that we’re going about this the right way. I don’t really know why. We can trust Meiling and Li. They’re our allies now.”

            “How can you say that’s for sure?” Kero cried, “If this is a mission they’re supposed to accomplish, we don’t know really if they’re gonna give those cards to us.”

            “We don’t need them to give those cards to us,” Sakura said, “We’re going to all work together. I’ve got a good feeling about this.”

            Kero looked unsure, but he was done trying to convince Sakura otherwise.

            “Whatever you say, kiddo,” he said as he floated off to his place in her room, “but don’t come crying to me if something goes wrong with this plan of yours.”

            “I don’t really have a plan, Kero-chan,” she shrugged nervously, “I just have a good feeling.”

            “Intuition,” Tomoyo interjected.

            “Huh?”

            “Your intuition is telling you to trust them, and you’re following that.”

            “Oh…yeah, guess so…”

            “I think you’re doing the right thing. If you think it’s the right call, I trust that.”

            “You’ve always had a good instinct for things like that.”

            “You know I’d tell you if something was up, right?”           

            “Of course!”

            Sakura smiled at her, and Tomoyo felt her face heating up.

            “You know…I love you very much, Sakura.”

            “And I love you too, Tomoyo!” her friend giving her the warmest of hugs. It was clear that Sakura didn’t know what she meant when she said she loved her. She had said this to her before, and Sakura took it as a sign of their deep friendship. It was a battle she could never win, and Tomoyo didn’t know if Sakura would ever understand.

            Sakura released her from her embrace and got up.

            “I’m making pasta! You want some?”

            “Of course,” Tomoyo smiled, and Sakura trotted off to the kitchen. Tomoyo’s smile remained, but not in her eyes. She was sad. She longed for Sakura to at least acknowledge her feelings. While she wanted Sakura to feel the same way, her desire for Sakura to be happy was even stronger. She was satisfied being her friend, but she would be lying if she said she didn’t want to be something more with her friend and now meister.

            As Sakura began cooking the pasta in the kitchen, she mulled over her thoughts. She felt something when she hugged Tomoyo. For a moment, she was able to read her friend’s wavelength clearly. Tomoyo said she loved her. She took it as a sign of friendship. But then…her wavelength…

            Tomoyo was sending her waves of romantic longing. She could feel it clearly. She was never able to read Tomoyo’s wavelength like this before. Was it because she was getting stronger? Was she imagining things?

            Sakura kept telling herself that she must’ve been imagining things. There was no way Tomoyo would feel that way about her, right? And then her mind went to the story Ms. Albarn told her. Kim Diehl and Jacqueline Dupre.

            No…it was possible. But this was Tomoyo. She had known Tomoyo since third grade. She would’ve noticed if Tomoyo felt this way.

            At least…that’s what she thought…

* * *

            Sakura was naïve, but she certainly wasn’t dumb. She could figure things out on her own, to a certain extent, as most people do. So, when Tomoyo started acting strange around her, she took heavy notice.

            It happened when they were catching a spirit causing whirlpools in the water down by the beach. Sakura was having a hard time resonating with Tomoyo, her hands burning when she touched her.

            “Sakura? What’s wrong?”

            “I don’t know! My hands feel like they’re on fire!”

            Sakura couldn’t stop thinking about last night. Tomoyo’s soul wavelength. Was her best friend really in love with her?

            “SAKURA, LOOK OUT!”

            Sakura looked up to see water in the shape of a dragon coming towards her. She managed to leap out of the way before the water crashed down where she was last standing.

            List night’s thoughts would have to wait. Sakura calmed her thoughts, grabbed Tomoyo as the sealing wand, and somehow was able to grasp her again without burning herself. She grabbed a card from her pouch.

            “ _FLY!_ ”

            The white wings that were on the sealing wand grew larger, and Sakura hopped onto it like a broomstick, flying towards a restaurant by the beach. Some of the water from the ocean, mainly the spirit of Clow, rushed up and followed her. They flew down small halls and stairways until they reached a large freezer open and ready for use.

            Sakura landed softly on the ground, the large white wings now shrinking away.

            “ _WINDY!_ ” Sakura cried, and the spirit flew out and into the freezer, carrying the cold chill with her.

            The water spirit caught up finally revealing its true face. It looked like a small, young mermaid with long, fin-like ears and sharp fangs. As WINDY blew around the water spirit with it’s now chilling air, the water spirit began to be covered in frost, it’s form freezing around her. Frozen in place, Sakura slashed into the ice, and the spirit was now a Clow Soul. She began casting her spell.

            “ _Return to the form you were meant to be! CLOW CARD!_ ”

            The soul of the young mermaid was now a peaceful picture with the name The WATERY. The card fell gracefully into Sakura’s grasp, and she collapsed to the ground. Tomoyo returned to her real form.

            “Are you okay?”

            “Yeah, I’m fine,” Sakura heaved, “It’s a good thing that big bro knew about this freezer here! I swear…that guy works twenty jobs…”

            Tomoyo embraced her, and Sakura turned red a little. She felt it again in their resonance. Tomoyo’s feeling of longing.

            “Oh thank goodness! I’m so sorry for hurting your hands back there! Why do think _that_ happened?”

            “I…I don’t know…”

            Their resonance was built on friendship. Clearly Tomoyo’s feelings for Sakura weren’t really interfering with their resonance. It was Sakura’s hesitation on the matter that messed up their link.

            Tomoyo noticed her friend was deep in thought.

            “Are you really okay?”

            Sakura blinked a few times.

            “Oh…what? Oh, yeah, naw, I’m fine. I’m just…kinda tired.”

            The two started flying home when they saw Syaoran and Meiling below. Sakura swooped down to greet them.

            “Hey guys!”

            The two cousins looked up to see the ever-enthusiastic witch, with Tomoyo turning back into a human.

            “So…did you guys find one?” Meiling asked.

            Sakura held up The WATERY triumphantly.

            “Neat! We found one too!”

            Meiling held one where there was a picture of, what looked like, a fish…whale-like creature. It read The FREEZE.

            “Aaaww…we could’ve used that tonight!” Sakura groaned. Tomoyo frowned in disappointment as well.

            “Well, too bad!” Meiling teased. Syaoran shot her a look, almost telling her to please stop doing that.

            “Anyways, here…” Sakura said, handing Meiling another blank card. When Meiling shifted the card, however, she noticed that Sakura gave them a captured card. It was called The CHANGE.

            “Now, we have the same number of cards!” Sakura smiled, “We’re even.”

            Fourteen for fourteen.

            Sakura waved goodbye, and the two cousins waved back. When she was gone, Syaoran seemed to be smiling to himself. Then, he shook his head before he felt like he was falling for her charms, as he put it to himself.

            “I can’t believe what a dope she is,” Meiling shook her head.

            Syaoran looked at her with disbelief.

            “What do you mean?”

            “She’s just giving us blanks and letting us catch _all_ these awesome cards. Then, she just _gives_ us one that they already caught! Is she really that stupid?”           

            “She’s just trying to be fair.”

            “It’s still dumb, Syaoran. C’mon, you gotta admit that.”

            “Well…no…I don’t think it’s dumb…”

            “Seriously? You’re, like, super smart. Like…straight A student, and she’s average at best.”

            “So are you, Meiling.”

            Meiling’s cheeks pinked.

            “Whatever, point is, I’d _never_ give her a card that I caught! That’d be stupid.”

            “Why?”

            “Well…because it’s mine! I don’t have as many as she did, and now we’re head to head! We can beat her!”

            “This isn’t some contest.”

            “So, it’ll prove that I’m the better meister and that we deserve the book! If she can hand us cards like candy, I bet she’d hand over the book in a heartbeat!”

            “I don’t think that’s how that works. And she’s not dumb. I don’t think she’d ever do that, Meiling.”

            “What’s with you defending her all of a sudden?”

            “I’m…THAT’S NOT IT! All I’m saying is that your plan to get the book like that is dumb in and of itself.”

            “So I’M dumb?!”

            “No.”

            “Well, then WHAT?! Why don’t you think she’s dumb because she gave us a freakin’ card?!”

            “It’s her way of trying to be nice to us. That’s just how she is…I think. If anything, I think she’s pretty smart.”

            “What?! WHY?!”

            “She caught a water-like spirit without the card we caught, The FREEZE.”

            “So?”

            “She was saying she could’ve used that card to catch The WATERY. She froze it somehow, and obviously it was hard to get.”

            “Well, then, she must’ve use a freezing spell or something.”

            “I don't think so. She wouldn’t have said that she needed The FREEZE then if that was the case. So they were able to freeze this water spirit and catch it without needing to use this card. She used her surroundings to try and catch it. That alone is a sign of intelligence. We’ve done the same thing, and we’ve caught almost as many as her.”

            Meiling was looking off to the side now, scratching her chin.

            “You like her…don’t you?”

            “Wah! …NO I don’t!”

            “Oh yeah, no, that right,” Meiling teased, “You like the silvery-haired guy at the front desk!”

            Syaoran’s face went beet red in embarrassment.

            “I saw you lookin’ at him that one morning in school! You went all red and stammery. Just like when you once saw Ms. Alba—”

            “PLEASE STOP.”

            “Okay, okay. Let’s go home, lover boy. We’ll have sweet dreams about boys, and girls, and everyone in between.”

            After that night, their first week of winter break came to a close, and Christmas was close at hand.


	11. Voice

AN: Hooray! Sakura’s aware of Tomoyo’s lesbian love. How will she answer?! The desire to femme-slash is strong with this writer, but let’s see where the story really takes us. Apparently, it’s taking us into December, even though it’s June right now. And also…Tomoyo goes through some messed up shit. ** _TRIGGER WARNING: PSEUDODYSPHAGIA_**

* * *

            “Tomoyo, do you like me as more than a friend?”

            She nearly dropped breakfast at this. Tomoyo never heard Sakura asked something like this. She expected her to say something like this to Yukito.

            “Wha…? What’s this all about?” Tomoyo asked innocently.

            “A few days ago…I felt something from…your soul wavelength…”

            “Like soul perception?”           

            “I guess so. But…you soul…it seemed to be…I dunno…like you were…longing? It felt like how I feel for Yukito, and I felt those waves directed at me…when we hugged.”

            Tomoyo froze, her cheeks turning a bright shade of pink.

            “You said you loved me…I always thought you were just saying it as a friend, but…”

            “I do love you as a friend, Sakura.”

            “Then…did I imagine that…what I just told you?”

            There was a pause.

            “No, you didn’t imagine it,” Tomoyo said calmly.

            Sakura slammed her head against the table.

            “Oh my GOD I AM SO STUPID,” she wept.

            “No! Nonononono,” Tomoyo rushed to Sakura’s side, “You are _not_ stupid.”           

            “How long have you…liked me?”

            “… ……since third grade?”

            Sakura let out a depressed groan.

            “We were a lot younger! Of course, you wouldn’t notice! It’s okay!”

            “But for THIS LONG?”

            Tomoyo patted her back.

            “I feel like an idiot.”

            “You’re not an idiot, Sakura.”

            “Yes I am.”

            Tomoyo dragged Sakura’s head away from the table so that they were now making eye contact.

            “No…you’re not.”

            Sakura pouted, looking away sadly.

            “Well, think of it this way. At least you figured it out quicker than Kim Diehl,” Tomoyo added, “She waited until she was an _adult_.”

            At this, Sakura giggled a little. Her friend made a valid point.

            “Listen, we can talk more about it later. Right now, we gotta finish up breakfast and go see my mom and your dad!”

            Sakura nodded as her friend sat down at her place at the table and started eating. However, there was awkwardness in the air. Sakura looked to see Tomoyo’s soul, shivering anxiously. Their wavelengths weren’t syncing like they used to. There was now a gap in their relationship they had to repair. What the repair would be, however, Sakura wasn’t sure of.

            Tomoyo was always her best friend. Seeing her as anything else seemed unlikely. Yet again, Sakura never considered the possibility of ever…liking a girl that way. Would she be able to return Tomoyo’s feelings when she already liked Yukito? She still wasn’t sure.

            It only made Sakura’s head hurt as she finished her breakfast.

* * *

            It was insanity at the airport. Sakura and her brother, Touya, greeted their father with open arms, as did Tomoyo with her mother. However, as soon as Mrs. Daidouji saw Mr. Kinomoto, she went into absolute hysterics, yelling at the man how she’ll never forgive the man for stealing her precious Nadeshiko.

            As soon as Sakura heard the name, she knew whom Tomoyo’s mother was talking about.

            _Her_ mother.

            “Your mother knows my mother, Tomoyo?”

            “I had no idea,” she whispered.

            Sakura’s father spoke.

            “I know your cousin was very important to you…”

            Sakura and Tomoyo froze.

            _Did he just say cousin?_

            Sakura and Tomoyo’s mothers were cousins. That would mean…

            “Are we…cousins?” Sakura asked.

            Their parents looked at their kids in disbelief.

            “Your friend is Nadeshiko’s daughter, Tomoyo?” her mother asked.

            “I…I guess so,” Tomoyo looked dead to the world. She had fallen in love with her own cousin. She felt sick.

            “Excuse me…”

            Tomoyo ran off towards the women’s restroom. Her mother ran after her. Sakura didn’t know it, but Tomoyo was in tears.

            “I brought subs from the Quizn…what’s going on?”

            Yukito came up behind Touya with a bagful of sandwiches. Some were for Sakura and company. Most of them were for him.

            “Well…Tomoyo’s had this big honkin’ girl crush on Sakura for, like, ever. And, they just found out they’re cousins,” Touya abridged for his friend.

            “YOU _KNEW?!_ ” Sakura cried.

            “What…the cousins thing or…?”

            “NO, YOU IDIOT! HER CRUSH ON ME!”

            Her father stood there, incredibly lost.

            “Well, I thought it was kinda obvious,” Touya shrugged, “The cousin thing? I had no fuckin’ clue about…”

            “OH MY GOD.”

            Sakura collapsed her face in her hands.

            “Are you two…um…a thing? Have you two, like, had…” Touya began to ask.

            “Touya, I don’t think they have, and I don’t think that’s your sister’s main concern right now,” Yukito interjected.

            Sakura’s father walked over to her and put his hand on her shoulder. When she looked up at him, she had tears in her eyes.

            “Tomoyo was…she’s in…she loves me, and I never knew…”

            Her father embraced her tightly.

            Then, there was a scream from the women’s restroom. A pink, angel-like spirit, flew out of the restroom. Tomoyo and her mother ran towards the group.

            “Her voice! That thing, it…”the mother stammered.

            “Tomoyo, what happened?” Sakura asked.

            Tomoyo opened her mouth to say something, but nothing came out.

            “Her voice is gone!” her mother cried.

* * *

            It wasn’t long before Sakura and Tomoyo were running after the small, pink spirit in haste. It took a lot of coaxing, but thanks to her brother, Sakura had permission to go from her father. Her mother already knew what Tomoyo had to do.

            As Tomoyo turned into the sealing wand, Sakura grabbed her in haste.

            And then, her hands started burning again.

            Sakura let go of Tomoyo, dropping her to the ground.

            “Are you okay?” Tomoyo cried.

            “I’m fine. I just…”

            “Your wavelengths aren’t synced.”

            Syaoran and Meiling came out of the shadows.

            “One or both of you have some emotional baggage that’s keeping you from resonating,” Syaoran said, “Meiling saw it with soul perception, since she’s a meister and all.”

            As soon as he said this, Sakura knew immediately what was happening. Their relationship was now unclear. They couldn’t be lovers. Their friendship was now a mess, and now their cousins, and neither of them knew how to deal with that. Sakura would’ve been happy about being related to her best friend in the world, but Tomoyo loved her, and she hated to see Tomoyo sad. In the end, neither of them knew _what_ to feel. And it was messing up their connection, one that was fully based in their strong friendship.

            “We’ll take care of it,” Meiling said.

            “Wha? But…” Sakura started.

            “Look, you guys can’t resonate right now, right? So, we’ll take care of it! Just sit tight, okay?”

            Syaoran turned into his sword form, and Meiling grabbed him, running off like the wind. Sakura sat with Tomoyo, rubbing her back, as Tomoyo began to weep silently.

* * *

            The had the little pink spirit cornered, but as soon as they did, the spirit let out a high-pitched wail, causing Meiling to cover her ears. The spirit sped away.

            “DAMMIT! NOT AGAIN!” Meiling yelled, stomping her foot, and then it hit her.

            “Hey, why don’t we try that new card we caught?”

            “Sounds like a plan to me,” Syaoran echoed through the reflection of the sword’s blade.

            They ran after the pink monstrosity again and cornered it once more. Before the little demon could let out another screech, Meiling pulled out a card.

            “ _SILENT!_ ”

            A woman in black with a fan in front of her mouth and nose appeared from the card, motioning her finger to a pair of unseen lips.

            “ _SSSSSSHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH…_ ”

            And the whole world went quiet. You couldn’t even hear a pin drop. As the pink, angel spirit screeched, it noticed to it’s dismay, that no sound came from it’s lips. It bared it’s fangs and flew towards the two cousin and lightening speed.

            “ _TIME!_ ”

            The pink angel spirit stopped in thin air.

            “This card has been, like, the best one,” Meiling snickered.

            “Let’s just reap this thing so we can help Daidouji,” Syaoran told her.

            “Right.”

            And with one sweep of the sword, the pink angel was now a golden sphere.

* * *

            Meiling and Syaoran ran up to Sakura now holding Tomoyo in her arms, who had her eyes shut.

            “Has her voice come back?” Meiling asked.

            “Sadly no,” Sakura replied, “Did you catch it?”

            “We don’t have a card,” Meiling shrugged, holding the golden bauble in front of her.

            “We caught another spirit earlier with the blank card you gave us,” Syaoran added.

            Tomoyo opened her eyes and saw the Clow Soul in front of her. She noticed a glowing pink star in the center.

            She heard her own voice in her head.

            “ _Eat me…_ ”

            As Tomoyo reached for it, Sakura looked over at her.

            “What’s wrong?”

            Neither she nor the other two in their company saw this pink star in the golden bauble Meiling was holding. Tomoyo grabbed it, holding it in front of her.

            “ _Eat me…I’ll make you stronger…_ ”

            “Tomoyo, what are you doing?!” Sakura exclaimed.

            Tomoyo held the gelatin bauble to her lips.

            “TOMOYO!”

            “ _Eat me…_ ”

            And Tomoyo swallowed it before anyone could stop her.

            After, what looked like, a moment of indigestion, Tomoyo finally spoke.

            “ **I’m fine.** ”

            What scared the other three, however, was that it sounded less like her voice and more of like her voice was echoing. It was as if she now had two voices speaking from her throat at the same time.

            “You need to spit it out, Tomoyo,” Syaoran advised.

            “ **Really, I’m fine. See?** ”

            Tomoyo stood up. She was acting as she usually did, but her eyes seemed dead, and her voice was still scary to listen to.

            “I know what those things can do, Daidouji,” Syaoran hissed, “Spit it out.”

            “ **NO.** ”

            “Tomoyo, please…” Sakura pleaded, “You’re scaring me…”

            “ **OH, I’M SORRY! WAS I NOT SCARING YOU ENOUGH? IS MY LOVE NOT GOOD ENOUGH FOR YOU, SAKURA-CHAAAAAAAGGGGHHHHHHHH….** ”

            Tomoyo’s eyes flooded with tears as words just flew from her mouth like vomit. This time, not in her own voice.

            “ **WHAT ELSE CAN I MAKE THIS WEAPON GIRL DO? CAN HER HEAD SPIN? OR WILL THAT JUST BREAK HER NECK?** ”

            Sakura began to cry.

            “LEAVE HER ALONE!”

            “ **OH, I’M SORRY. SHE DOESN’T WANT TO SPEAK TO YOU RIGHT NOW. WOULD YOU LIKE TO LEAVE A MESSAGE?** ”

            Sakura sobbed even more.

            “ **QUITE THE WEAPON SHE IS. CLOW DID A BANG UP JOB ON HER.** ”

            The looked up in shock.

            “What did you just say?” Syaoran said.

            “ **OH, YOU DIDN’T KNOW? I’M SORRY! DIDN’T KNOW CLOW’S APPRENTICE HERE WAS SO DENSE! DID YOU THINK THE MIGHTY CLOW REED WOULD LEAVE A DUELER WITHOUT A SWORD? A COWBOY WITHOUT A GUN? A WITCH WITHOUT A WAND?** ”

            It all hit them at once. The reason Clow Reed’s magic circle appeared under Tomoyo when she transformed. It made sense. Clow Reed created her.

            “Then…what about Tomoyo’s mother?” Meiling pondered.

            “ **IMMACULTE CONCEPTION SURE IS AMAZING, ISN’T IT? NOPE! JUST A BABY ON A DOORSTEP. THE HAIR OF SONOMI DAIDOUJI AND THE BLOOD OF CLOW REED. BIG CEREMONY! SAME TIME I WAS MADE! IT WAS SONG’S IDEA TO GIVE HER A BEAUTIFUL VOICE. I DUNNO WHAT SHE WAS DRINKING. YET AGAIN WE CAN’T DRINK. WE’RE DEAD AND ALL. THE DEAD CAN’T EAT. CAN’T STAND ON OUR HEADS NEITHER.** ”

            At this point the voice started spitting out nonsense to the point of pissing off Syaoran.

            “SHUT UP and GIVE US BACK TOMOYO!”

            “ **OH WELL, OKAY, SINCE YOU WERE SO NICE. I JUST WANTED TO GIVE YOU THE MESSAGE. TOMOYO’S ONE OF US, YOU SEE? AND NOW, HER MASTER…MEISTER…WHATEVER’S GOTTA DECIDE. WHAT’S A GIRL TO DO? THOSE DWMA WILL LOCK HER POOR LITTLE COUSIN AWAY! WHAT TO DO?** ”

            “What are you saying?” Sakura asked, choking through her tears.

            “ **JOIN US, SAKURA. BECOME ONE OF US. WE WON’T LET THAT MEANIE DEATH KEEP YOU FROM YOUR FRIEND. YOU NEED TO CATCH ALL OF US, RIGHT? YOU CAN’T DO IT WITHOUT HER. YOU’RE NOTHING WITHOUT YOUR WEAPON.** ”

            The spirit of Clow somehow managed to reform itself into it’s original shape, as the little pink angel crawled out of Tomoyo’s throat, staying there and float in the air. Tomoyo looked like she was choking.

            “ **IT’S AMAZING WHAT A VOICE CAN DO FOR LITTLE OL’ ME!** ”

            Tomoyo gagged and sobbed.

            “Stop it…” Sakura sobbed. Syaoran transformed, and Meiling got in a battle stance, ready to reap the soul once again.           

            “ **CLOW REED WILL REIGN. HE IS ALREADY A GOD AMONG MEN. YOU WILL ALL DIE AND BECOME ONE OF US! AND LITTLE SAKURA! YOU WILL BE THE MOST POWERFUL WITCH THE WORLD’S EVER SEEN!** ”

            Tomoyo made a red blade come out of her forearm, eyes lit with anger and still gagging on the pink angel spirit of Clow.

            “ **WE WERE ALL BORN TO DIE! SO BREATHES CLOW RE—** ”

            Before the little pink angel, more demonic than angelic, could finish, Tomoyo slashed through the spirit, turning into a golden bauble once more. Tomoyo collapsed to the ground and coughed, showing her voice had come back. Sakura ran to her side, embracing her tightly.

            “Tomoyooooo…” she sobbed, and Tomoyo hugged her back, almost as tightly.

            Syaoran and Meiling held the Clow Soul, as the two girls got up, and they wiped the tears from their eyes. Sakura dug a blank card from the pouch and handed it to them.

            As soon as they cast the spell, an image of a young girl with wings for arms and ears appeared, her mouth open as if she were singing. It read The VOICE.

            Syaoran grabbed a case they were keeping their cards in and stowed it away, grabbing another card in the process. It was The SILENT.

            He handed it to Sakura.

            “Wha…but…it’s yours.”

            “It’s okay. You probably don’t want that demonic card anyways after what just happened, right?”

            Sakura nodded shyly and took it. She seemed sad, and Syaoran almost felt the same. He tapped her on the shoulder, and she looked up.

            “We’re even,” he said, giving a small and gentle smile and holding up the cards he had. Sakura had never seen him smile before and took it with comfort, smiling back at him and giving a cathartic laugh.

            The parents and young adults ran up to the group, asking if Sakura and Tomoyo were okay. When their attention turned to the Li cousins, Touya gave Syaoran an annoyed glare, which Syaoran returned with equal measure. Yukito smiled and waved, and Syaoran’s face went red.

            Sakura’s father merely stared in confusion, having no clue _what_ was going on.

            “What just happened? Why was Tomoyo’s voice gone? What is…Sakura, what is going on right now?”

            Touya stayed silent, as did the others. Sakura put The SILENT card away in her pouch and walked up to her dad.

            “That’s…kinda what I wanted to talk to you about…”


	12. Mother

AN: So…in case any of you missed that…Tomoyo’s…a weapon created by Clow Reed. Why’d he make her? Let’s find out.

* * *

            High heels clacked against the large stone walkway just outside of Death City. The clacking stopped at a bus stop, and the woman wearing the heels collapsed onto the bench in the shaded area.

            “Ugh…FINALLY. My feet are killing me!” she cried, removing the horrendously painful shoes.

            “Of all the places to land, it HAD to be the desert. Well…at least I got here before the wind storm started.”

            Winds blew sand across the stone walkway, as the woman took her straight, jet-black hair down from her high bun. Her dress was long and flowing, showing a generous amount of her large breasts and pale skin. She tucked a piece of hair behind her ear, revealing her burgundy eyes.

            “Hopefully the bus will be here soon. Still…I can be patient. When the time is right, it’ll come.”

            Her long hair began blowing around in the small breeze that made it’s way within the bus stop area. Thankfully, very little sand made it’s way in. The tall, beautiful woman gazed up thoughtfully.

            “Soon, dear child…your wish…will be granted.”

* * *

            It took a while for Sakura’s father to digest the information. It also took a while longer for most of the teachers involved with the capture of Clow Reed to meet with Lord Death. Yukito had to report the incident at the airport, whether anyone wanted to or not, and as a result, there was another meeting with Lord Death.

            Tomoyo and her mother stood before him, seemingly troubled. Sakura stood behind with her family and Yukito. Syaoran and Meiling stood father back, under the close eye of Black«Star and Tsubaki. Maka, Soul, Liz, and Patti were in the room as well. Death the Kid, now Lord Death, stood before them all, ready to speak.

            “You are a creation of Clow Reed’s?” he asked the young girl with the thick, dark hair. Her blue eyes filled with anguish too immense to comprehend.

            “It would seems so, Sir,” Tomoyo answered wearily.

            “Please, Mr…um…Death, I don’t know anything about this Clow Reed,” her mother pleaded. He held his hand up to silence her.

            “I understand. However, your daughter is still in hot water at the moment.”

            “You’re not going to…” the worried mother started.

            “No, we are not going to hurt her or kill her. It’s been made clear that this girl has had no knowledge of this information up to the point. However, now that she has such information and powers, we need to keep her under close watch.”

            Lord Death then turned his attention back to Tomoyo.

            “Do you know now what you were created for?” he asked.

            She nodded.

            “And what might that be?”

            “VOICE said that…it was to lead Sakura in the ‘better’ direction…” she answered bitterly.

            “What do you mean, Tomoyo?” Maka asked.

            “I was…I was supposed to lead her down the same path as Clow Reed…I would…I would consume the souls of all of Clow’s followers and become a powerful…weapon. And Sakura would…she would become…the most powerful magician in the world. More powerful than him.”

            Everyone silently took it all in. Tomoyo seemed to be trying not to cry. Sakura reached out and touched her shoulder.

            “It…It’s okay, Tomoyo. You don’t…have to do that. Your intentions are with catching the cards, right? And then, it’ll all be over, and we can keep be friends again!”

            She knew her friend was trying to be optimistic, but Tomoyo just couldn’t see it going that way. She shook her head.

            “My intentions were with being with you. I just…wanted to be by your side. I didn’t care what you did. As long as you…as you were…happy. That’s all I wanted. And now…”

            “We can still do this, Tomoyo!”

            “I know we can! We can still be friends. If I can be your friend, that’s more than enough. But Sakura…we…we can’t be partners anymore.”

            “But…but why?”

            “Clow Reed might control her at this point, and the risk that has on you is too great to take,” Lord Death answered, “We need to keep watch on her. Make sure she’s safe.”

            “But Tomoyo has a will of her own!” Sakura cried, “If Clow Reed wanted to control her so that he could control me, he would’ve done it by now!”

            “That may be true, but she’s aware of his plans for her,” he answered more urgently, “He may be able to get to her more easily now that she’s swallowed one of his followers. You captured this follower, right?”

            Syaoran came up and showed him the card.

            “Very good,” he nodded, “Even so, he may still…”

            “But that doesn’t make any sense!” Sakura cried more earnestly.

            “Listen!” the God of Death pleaded, “Your friend here has already begun to feel the weight of power he has over her. She told me she needed to do this.”

            Everyone froze.

            “What?” Sakura turned to her friend.

            “I can hear him,” she sobbed, “And the spirit I swallowed. Even though she’s captured, she’s still…she did something to me! I always feel like my throat’s on fire. They tell me to do things…really terrible things. I can’t stop it. I can’t function like this, and I don’t want you suffering what I’m going through right now! He says…he says we can both feel it if we…if we resonate…I don’t…”

            Sakura stood there, speechless. In all her years of being with Tomoyo, she never saw her cry like this. She was suffering so much, and there was nothing she could do.

            “Kid…” Maka spoke up.

            “Yes?” he answered.

            “Sakura may not have to worry about feeling the effect of the madness. She has an anti-demon wavelength.”

            “I noticed.”

            Sakura looked at the two of them, thoroughly confused.

            “Still,” Kid continued, “She has no control over it, and she needs to be trained. It’s still winter break, so it will have to wait until classes start again. In the meantime, Tomoyo needs to be kept under watch. She will be in Maka and Soul’s care, seeing as Maka’s anti-demon wavelength would provide some stability for her.”

            Maka and Soul nodded.

            “Sakura, in the meantime, will have to cease capturing these spirits.”

            “HOLD UP!”

            A tiny voice came from behind. It was Kero. He flew up to the God of Death, very agitated.

            “With all due respect, Sir, spirits have been coming at full force her in Death City! We can’t afford to waste any days before Sakura can go back to school.”

            “Well, from what I hear, another weapon and meister pair has been able to catch these cards as well?” enquired Kid.

            Syaoran and Meiling meekly nodded their heads.

            “Well, then, they will have the duty until Sakura can battle again! Simple.”

            “THAT’S NOT HOW IT WORKS!”

            Sakura wearily walked over to Meiling and Syaoran. She handed them some blank cards.

            “These are all of the blanks I have…” she murmured, “You can…you can give back whatever blanks are left when school starts…”

            “SAKURA!” Kero whined.

            “It’s okay, Kero-chan. Really,” Sakura said sadly, “They can do it. It’s…it’s fine. They…they have a mission, anyways.”

            “I…” Syaoran began, but Meiling grabbed the cards without a second thought.           

            “Then, it’s settled,” Lord Death concluded, “You all can go. Maka? Soul? Take Tomoyo and her mother to where they need to go.”

            Everyone began leaving the room. Touya, Yukito, and Sakura’s father came up to Sakura, whose head was hanging low.

            “Sakura…”her father began.

            “I’m sorry I lied to you…” she interrupted.

            “Well, technically, you and your brother lied.”

            Sakura grimaced.

            “Honey, you could’ve told me. I would’ve been okay. You don’t need to carry the weight of the world on your shoulders like this.”

            “That’s not…” and Sakura stopped herself. She didn’t know how to explain it.

            “Nevermind,” she told him, “I need to…I need to go think.”

            She left the room quickly before her father and the others could catch her.

* * *

            She came across a bridge over a small pond in one of the greener parts of the city. It was a park built by the city to add some color to the desert-like streets. The bridge, while it arced over more, reminded her of Penguin King Park back at home, and the giant penguin slide that sat in the center.

            The pond was nice and quiet. Sakura would come with Tomoyo here to feed some of the ducks and turtles that came by through the water. Strangely, there was nothing here. Only the dark abyss of the water.

            Sakura stood there, finally away from everyone else. She wanted to be alone, which was a rare thing for her. She loved company, and being by herself made her think she was going to see a ghost.

            She stared at the water, looking at her reflection. There was a band-aid on her face from one particular fight she couldn’t remember. She grazed the bandage with her fingers, still looking into her reflection.

            She hated herself. Clow was after her. Why did Tomoyo have to be involved in this? She hated to see her friend so sad. There was nothing she could do. Even if she had this anti-demon whatever-it-was, she didn’t know how to use it. And how would it really help Tomoyo? Or anybody? She wanted results now. Not after winter break. She wanted her brother. Her father.

            But mostly, she wanted her mother.

            She died when Sakura was three. All she had were pictures of her. She wished that she could talk to her somehow. Maybe she would have answers. If her mother was where Touya said she was, she probably saw a lot of things. Maybe she would know what to do.

            And then, a light shone in the water. A shape came rising to the surface. It was a woman. Young and fair. Her long, curly hair was a light ashy color, and her eyes were green as Sakura’s. She smiled at her gently. Her eyes were warm and welcoming.

            “M…Mom?”

* * *

            Syaoran felt something twist in his stomach. Something bad was happening. Somehow, he had an idea of where to go, but he didn’t know why. He felt his eye twitch.

            “Syaoran, what’s the matter?” Meiling asked as they walked out of the school building, dusk settling in behind them.

            “I don’t know,” he muttered. Something bad was happening to someone.

            Someone important to him.

            “I’ll meet you back at the apartment!” he told her, “I need to go take care of something.”

            He sprinted down the direction he needed to go.

            “Wait, Syaoran!” Meiling huffed. She wanted to follow, but to her own judgment, she decided to follow what he said.

* * *

            She felt her arms wrap around her. It felt so warm and safe. Sakura could cry.

            “Mommy!” she wept, as she embraced her mother tightly. It felt so real. She thought ghosts couldn’t touch the living.

            And then, they plunged into the water. Her mother was holding her very tightly now. Sakura tried to release herself, but she couldn’t

            “ _Mom…I can’t breathe, Mommy_.”

            Sakura tried holding her breath. But, all she ended up doing was turning her face blue. She ended up swallowing in water. Her vision became hazy.

            “ _Are you lonely, Mom? Is that why you’re here? Do you want me to be here with you?_ ”

            She couldn’t see who it was, but someone jumped into the water. They were swimming towards her. And then, all she could see and feel was darkness.

* * *

            With one more push against her chest, Syaoran finally got Sakura to breath. She coughed and choked up some water as her lungs filled with the sweet dry air of the city. They were on the bridge.

            “Are you okay?” he asked.

            “...I’m fine…” she choked out in between coughs. He patted her back, as she coughed up more water. When her coughing stopped, she took in a few breaths to steady herself.

            “What happened?” Syaoran finally asked.

            “It was…it was my mom…she…she’s in the lake,” she stammered.

            “Your mom?”

            “Yeah…it’s…it’s hard to explain.”

            “That doesn’t seem possible. Where is she usually? Did she come to see you here in Death City with your dad somehow?”

            There was a pause.

            “She’s…she’s dead.”

            Shock and then guilt spread across Syaoran’s face.

            “Oh…I’m…I’m so sorry…”

            “It’s okay. You didn’t know. She died when I was three…I’ve known her through pictures. I think I saw her ghost somehow.”

            He frowned. That didn’t make sense. When he came to the bridge, where his gut was telling him to go, he could feel the presence of a spirit of Clow. Then, he had seen Sakura’s body in the darkness of the water. He shivered a little.

            “I don’t know why she drug me down in the water though…” Sakura said to herself.

            Syaoran looked at her, concerned.

            “If it _was_ your mother, would she really do something like that?”

            After a thought, Sakura realized it. No, her mother would never try to hurt her…or so she thought…

            “Then…”

            “It’s a spirit of Clow,” he told her.

            Shocked, Sakura tried to look around for it. Syaoran grabbed her shoulders.

            “Calm down. Clear your head. If you do, you’ll probably feel it too.”

            She took a deep breath and did as he told her. She had done this before with a few other spirits. She felt, what typically felt like, a soul wavelength. It felt angry and malevolent. It was coming from the water.

            “I feel it too.”

            “Yeah…”

            “But…where’s Meiling?”

            “She went home. I didn’t think there’d actually be a spirit here.”

            “Then why did you come here?”

            “It was…a feeling…somehow.”

            Sakura didn’t know how to respond to this, but she somehow understood what he meant.

            “So…what do we do?” Sakura asked. Syaoran pondered for a second. After a small realization, he reached out his hand to her.

            “Resonate with me.”

            Sakura frowned and raised an eyebrow.

            “What?” she busted out.

            “You’re a witch, right? And people have said you have great potential to be very powerful. Maybe can resonate with another weapon. There are meisters that can do that.”

            “Where did you hear that?”

            “I didn’t hear it. I read it.”

            “I dunno…”

            “I know it’s weird, but…I promise. I won’t let anything happen to you.”

            He seemed strangely determined, as Sakura noticed. She didn’t know why, but she felt assured that he _would_ protect her and help her. Reasoning be damned, Sakura slowly reached out and grabbed his offered hand.

            Releasing their soul wavelengths, they began resonating. She didn’t know if it was practice with their partners or not, but they seemed to click very easily. His wavelength felt familiar. Warm. It wasn’t like Tomoyo’s warmth though. It was a warmth that was uniquely his. Maybe it was because they had a common goal. To capture these spirits. To defeat Clow Reed.

            Syaoran transformed into his sword form, and Sakura grabbed him firmly. Her hands weren’t burning. They were resonating perfecting.

            “We…we’re doing it!” Sakura exclaimed.

            “Yeah…” his voice echoed, “I’m…kinda relieved.”

            A shape rose from the water again. It was the shape of Sakura’s mother once again.

            “What…what is that?” Syaoran asked.

            “That’s…that’s my mom! What do you mean ‘what is that’?”

            “It…it looks like some genderless figure to me…I can’t tell…”

            The shape of Sakura’s mother reached out to her.

            “You want me to go down with you, don’t you?”

            The shape of Sakura’s mother nodded.

            “No…my mom wouldn’t want that. She wouldn’t…want me to die. Not while I’m still young. You can’t be her. You. Aren’t. My MOTHER.”

            With that, the image of Sakura’s mother disappeared, and a kaleidoscope pattern took its place.

            “You did it! Quick, get it!” Syaoran shouted.

            “I know! I know! Sheesh.” Sakura muttered with a smirk, as she ran towards the pond. She pulled out a card.

            “ _WATERY!_ ”

            The water rose out of the pond, leaving the kaleidoscope spirit nowhere to hide. With this, she slashed through the patterned spirit with the sword, and the water fell back into the pond, as a golden Clow Soul floated gently on the surface.

            Sakura fell into the water. She swam to the surface, the pond unsurprisingly shallow, along with a now human Syaoran, and they grabbed the golden bauble.

            They grabbed a blank card, holding it together and chanting the spell, as the spirit was sealed away. A kaleidoscope pattern showed itself in the picture. It read The ILLUSION.

            “I guess it shows us what we want to see the most…” Syaoran said, handing the card to Sakura, who placed it in her pouch.

            “And… I wanted to see my mom…” Sakura said, “I guess…I’m just glad she wasn’t really down there and that’s up in a place above the sky.”

            She felt tears welling up in her eyes, and then she just let them run down her face, sobbing. Syaoran looked at her, feeling sorry for her. While he never really understood his mother a portion of the time, he couldn’t imagine not having her in his life in whatever way. He hastily fished through his pockets and dug out a…now very wet hankerchief.

            Sakura looked up to see it and started to giggle. She grabbed it and dabbed her face with it. It felt cool on her now red eyes, stinging from either the tears or the fall into the pond water.

            “Thank you.”

            Syaoran nodded.

            “What was it that you wanted to see the most though, Li?” she asked.

            There was a pause.

            “It’s embarrassing…”

            “Oh come on, I’m sure it’s not that bad.”

            “It was…um…I wanted to see my…um…most precious person…”

            Sakura looked confused.

            “You ever hear about a special person meant just for you?”

            “Oh…Oh! Like…a soulmate!”

            His cheeks went red.

            “Aaww! No, that’s cute!”

            “It’s…not supposed to be cute…it’s just…it is what it is…”

            “So, when you said it was some genderless figure you saw…”

            Syaoran nodded.

            “Soooo…it can be a boy _or_ a girl for you?”

            “I don’t know…”

            “Is there anyone you have in mind?”

            His whole face went red.

            “I won’t tell!” Sakura assured happily, and Syaoran cleared his throat.

            “Well…there’s this guy…with silver hair…”

            “Wait…silver hair? Does he have brownish eyes?”

            “Yes…?”

            “That’s Yukito Tsukishiro! My brother’s friend!” Sakura exclaimed, her face going red as well.

            “You know him?”

            “I’ve…well, he _is_ my brother’s friend, and well…I _have_ had a crush on him…”

            They were both blushing and twiddling their thumbs. They sat down in the grass.

            “So…you like him too…” Syaoran muttered.

            “Since I was in third grade…he…came over to my brother’s house to study, and…it was love at first sight. … What about you, Li?”

            “It was…I passed by the front desk the first day of classes. He smiled at me, and I…I guess it was love at first sight too.”

            They sat in awkward silence for a while until Sakura finally spoke again.

            “Both you and I are so much younger than him, but…I guess we can’t help liking him, can we?” she giggled.

            Syaoran was surprised to see her smiling so gently. Shouldn’t she be jealous or angry? Did she not see him as competition for this guy’s affections? No, she just shrugged it off and accepted it for what it was.

            “You’re not mad?” he asked.

            “No, of course not,” she replied, “I don’t usually get mad at stuff. It’s not worth fighting so much over, right?”

            She got up.

            “Well…may the best man or woman win!” she shouted triumphantly, and Syaoran couldn’t help but laugh.

            “What?”

            “You’re just really something, you know that?” Syaoran told her.

            “Is that…bad or…good?”

            “It’s…I guess… it’s a pretty good thing.”

            They smiled for a small moment before Sakura’s family as well as Yukito ran through the park, catching up. With some small vague explanations, Sakura went back to her brother’s apartment with the rest of her family. She waved back at Syaoran, who smiled softly and waved back.

            He looked at her and Yukito as they left, still thinking about what he saw at the pond. ILLUSION had shown him an image of Yukito. However, it changed suddenly to someone else. An image of Sakura.

            He would never her tell this. Not soon, anyways.


	13. Alone

AN: Let’s see if we can get some more Syaoran/Sakura moments. The role of Rika will be replaced with Yukito for this chapter. The role of Kaho Mizuki shall be replaced with…a different character. * winks *

* * *

            It wasn’t until Meiling and Syaoran caught three more cards that Syaoran decided to tell Meiling what happened with Sakura. They stood to the side of the street, The SNOW, FLOAT, and RETURN in Meiling’s hands. He told her what happened the other night with The ILLUSION.

            “You two…RESONATED?”

            “Yeah…it’s weird, but I’m not all that surprised,” Syaoran said.

            “I mean she’s powerful or whatever, but seriously! Why did you do that?”

            “She…she has no weapon partner, Meiling!”

            “Well, if you become _her_ partner, I won’t either!”

            There was a pause.

            “She told us to catch them, so _we’ll_ catch them,” Meiling told him, “Don’t worry about her not having a partner! She’ll get some when Tomoyo’s better.”

            “When will that be exactly?” Syaoran snapped, “And it’s not about collecting them.”

            “Then, what _is_ it about?”

            “I think…these things are after her…”

            “Oh please…”

            “No! Think about it! That VOICE spirit attacked Tomoyo. And now that she doesn’t have a weapon partner, this ILLUSION spirit attacks her.”

            “Oh come on, that’s just a coincidence, Syaoran.”

            “There are no coincidences in this world,” a voice echoes from behind them. A woman came out of the shadows, her straight, jet-black hair blowing in the wind and her wine red eyes glow in the lamplight. She wore, this time, flat sandals that strapped around her feet and ankles and a long black dress decorated in Oriental patterns. The two cousins stared at the beautiful woman in awe.

            “There is only the inevitable,” she finished. Syaoran felt like he should recognize her, and Meiling stood there, confused.

            “Who are you?” Meiling asked irritably, “And what do you want?”

            “I am a new teacher at your school,” the woman answered, her voice smooth as silk, “I’m looking for someone, and I was just passing through.”

            Meiling squinted, as if concentrating hard on the woman in front of her.

            “You’re a witch…aren’t you?”

            “To some extent. Yes. I’ve been sent here to teach a particular student.”

            Syaoran eyed her suspiciously.

            “It’s Kinomoto, isn’t it?”

            “Very good, young man!”

            She walked slowly up to him, lifting his chin up to meet her gaze.

            “What is your name?” she asked.

            “Syaoran Li.”

            She smiled sadly.

            “You don’t know where she is, do you?”

            “Um…no, ma’am.”

            “That’s alright…. Although, you both might want to find her. She is being attacked, as you predicted, Syaoran Li.”

            The two cousins looked up in shock. She turned around, walking back into the darkness.

            “Follow me,” she beckoned, “I know the way.”

            Syaoran and Meiling looked at each other and then started following her into the shadows.

            “You never told us your name,” Meiling muttered.

            “Ichihara,” the woman answered over her shoulder, “Yuuko Ichihara.”

* * *

            Sakura was running down the street away from her attacker. It was Yukito. A sword brooch was pinned to his chest and had now materialized into an actual sword. He seemed to be brainwashed, as he began chasing Sakura, trying to attack her with the sword.

            Much to her dismay, Sakura couldn’t use any of the cards she had with her. Not that she really attempted to, but she knew she couldn’t use the cards without a weapon, so there was no point.

            She tripped on the ground, Yukito now hovering above her. As he struck down the sword towards her, she closed her eyes.

            And then there was a loud clang of metal. She opened her eyes to see Meiling, Syaoran’s sword form in hand, protecting her from Yukito’s attack. He jumped back, ready to fight. Meiling prepared herself as well.

            “You okay, Kinomoto?” Meiling asked.

            “Y-Yeah, I’m okay,” she stammered. There was a small tap on her shoulder, and Sakura turned around. It was the mysterious woman in black, Yuuko Ichihara.

            “It’s nice to finally meet you, Ms. Sakura Kinomoto,” she smiled gently. Sakura jumped, deciding to stand up.

            “How did you know my name?”

            “Just a feeling, I suppose.”

            She looked up sternly, as the sword fight taking place.

            “You have quite the catch,” Yuuko smirked, “The boy with the silver hair _is_ quite handsome.”

            Sakura blushed, trying to find something to say.

            “You must get him to release the sword,” Yuuko instructed, “That’s the trick to defeating this spirit possessing your silver-haired friend.”

            “But…I can’t hurt him!” Sakura begged.

            “You won’t have to. Distract him with an image of some sort. You have the Clow Cards with you.”

            Sakura nodded hesitantly. She pulled out her pouch. Fishing through it, she found the card she caught with Syaoran: The ILLUSION.

            “Very good,” Yuuko encouraged, “Now, cast a spell with it.”

            “But…I need a weapon!” Sakura replied anxiously.

            “What makes you say that?”

            Sakura paused.

            “Well…when Meiling tried…it…”

            “You base the assumption that you can’t use the cards on your own because _she_ can’t?”

            “We’re both meisters!”

            “But one of you is a witch. A very powerful one at that.”

            Sakura looked down at the card.

            “How will you ever know, young Sakura, if you never try?” Yuuko asked sincerely. Sakura nodded softly. Yuuko was right. She stood up and walked towards the fight. Meiling was down, and Yukito was about to strike. However, as soon as Sakura got close, Yukito turned his attention to her. Sakura held the card in her hand.

            “ _Project an image of someone he admires and loves! ILLUSION!_ ”

            The card glowed and the kaleidoscope imagery formed into the form of a person. It wasn’t clear, but the person was very tall.

            While Yukito stared at the figure starry-eyed and muttering something Sakura couldn’t make out, she snatched the sword out of his hand, tossing it to the side. Yukito fainted and ILLUSION’s form vanished back into the card. While Meiling had the chance, she sliced at the sword that was now hovering into the air. It split in half, as it morphed into a golden soul.

            “Very good, Sakura!” Yuuko clapped, “Now, grab a blank card.”

            “I don’t…” Sakura began, but Meiling held out one.

            “Thank you, Ms. Meiling Li,” Yuuko smiled, as she handed the card to Sakura.

            “How did you do that?” Meiling asked.

            “I don’t know,” Sakura muttered, “I just kinda…winged it?”

            “You tapped into part of your power,” Yuuko explained, “Now, you can seal the soul away.”

            “BUT WE REAPED IT!” Meiling cried.

            “Do you honestly have a use for a sword-like spirit at this point?” Yuuko retorted.

            Meiling gazed at Syaoran, still in his sword form.

            “I didn’t think so,” Yuuko continued. Sakura grabbed the Clow Soul and placed the card on it.

            “ _Return to the form you were meant to be! CLOW CARD!_ ”

            The soul sealed itself into the cardboard and plastic as a picture of a sword in chains started to appear. It read, of course, The SWORD.

            “I can…catch these…without a weapon,” Sakura affirmed to herself.

            “Not completely,” Yuuko corrected, “You can’t yet reap the souls not fight them without a weapon, but you _can_ catch them and use their powers.”

            “ _Yet?_ ” Meiling hissed, wanting to scream, “She can’t reap them _YET?_ ”

            “She cannot continue on this path safely,” Yuuko continued, “Using them with a weapon _is_ the safest way.”

            “Clow Reed wants me to become the most powerful magician in the world,” Sakura muttered.

            “Correct,” Yuuko added, “And the quickest way in doing that is getting you by yourself. Putting you in a world where you are completely alone. You would have to use nothing but your own powers to achieve your desires by then. And the need for more power will drive you to madness.”

            After this cryptic message, Yukito began gaining consciousness, as Sakura and the others turned their attentions to him. Yuuko smiled and nodded, as she turned around and left.

            “Until next time, Sakura.”

            Sakura was about to thank her, but before she could, Yuuko vanished.

* * *

            It was Christmas Eve. All was going well. Tomoyo, sadly, didn’t come. However, it was just a festive evening for Sakura with Yukito, Touya, and her father. Kero flew down to join the crowd, eating most of the food in front of him.

            “My, this creature sure loves to eat,” Sakura’s father pointed out.

            “Well, technically, I don’t _need_ to eat,” Kero replied, “I just enjoy do it! And I don’t get fat, so there’s _nooooo_ consequences.”

            Sakura glared at him, irritated.

           “So…this entire time I was sneaking you food, it was _just_ for your amusement?” she gritted.

           “ _You_ were the one sneaking all of that food?!” Touya yelled. At this point, the two began their sibling quarrels, as Yukito and Sakura’s father laughed in amusement. Kero continued stuffing his face.

           “You’re just as bad as me!” Yukito chuckled.

           “I think he’s worse than you,” Touya muttered.

           “I still can’t believe what happened yesterday,” Sakura father pondered, “Are you alright now, Yukito?”

           “I barely remember a thing,” he smiled, and everyone merely sighed.

           “You’re the one that saved him, Sakura?” her father asked.

           “Umm…well…I had some help, of course, but…yeah!”

           “I’m amazed,” he ruffled her hair, “I’m very proud of you, sweetheart.”

           Sakura sat their, content. She was with her family. Everything was perfect. And yet, she still wished Tomoyo could be here. Even Meiling and Syaoran, since they’d become such good allies to her.

           Suddenly, the presents under the tree vanished.

           “Huh?” Sakura father muttered, “Where did the presents go?”

           The lights flickered. The food vanished.

           “HEY!” Kero protested. The lights flickered again.

           Kero vanished.

           “Oh my God!” Sakura covered her mouth. Her father grabbed her and held her close. Touya put a protective arm around Yukito. Everyone was looking around for some sort of sign of what was happening. The lights went out for a moment before coming back on again.

           Yukito had vanished.

           Sakura screamed.

           “Touya! Get beside me!” his father beckoned anxiously. But the lights went out again. Their father was gone when the lights came back on. Sakura ran to her brother.

           “We need to get out of here, kiddo!” Touya yelled, and they ran down the hall to the front door. Sakura fumbled with the keys. The lights went out again as Sakura got the door open.

           “I got it, big bro! I…”

           He was gone. A smiling jester’s face floated in front of her. It was like a mask, with squinted eyes, brows furrowed, as if it were angry, but the mouth was in an open-mouthed smile, only blackness filling where the tongue and teen should be.

           It greeted her with an unsettling laugh, forcing Sakura to scream as she slammed the door, locked it, and ran out of the apartment building. She was alone.

* * *

         This didn’t stop the jester spirit, however. The entire apartment complex became terrorized as people and things started vanishing into thin air. Sakura knocked on a few doors she knew, only to be greeted by the haunting face she met before. The lights flickered as she escaped down the emergency stairwell, giving up any attempts of help within the building.

         Meanwhile, Meiling and Syaoran were outside. They sensed a spirit of Clow, and they weren’t passing this opportunity up. They hid outside, where a window lay just above where Meiling was crouching. Inside the blackness of the window, the jester’s face appeared, unnoticed by the two cousins waiting for the moment to strike. An invisible hand seemed to reach through the window, like a portal.

         With one quick swoop, the spirit grabbed Meiling, who screamed and flailed, as she was drug through the window. Syaoran tried to stop them, but it was too late. Meiling disappeared into the darkness.

         Syaoran stood there, panicking. He failed to protect his partner. His cousin was gone. He was now without a meister. He was alone.

* * *

        Sakura came rushing out of the apartment building, slamming the emergency exit door before her. Still heaving in air, she sprinted towards the front of the building, itching redness now under her eyes and cheeks stained with tears. She couldn’t see. She didn’t care. She needed to find a safe place. She didn’t want to be alone.

        She felt her body slam into someone, and she fell into them. They were about as tall as she was. Maybe taller. A boy.

        Syaoran was surprised to see a very upset Sakura. As soon as she saw who it was, she crashed her forehead into his shoulder, sobbing uncontrollably.

        “Yukito…ma…my dad…everyone!” she cried.

        “They disappeared?” Syaoran asked.

        “Yes…” she choked.

        “Meiling just disappeared too…. I couldn’t stop whatever this spirit is…”

        “It was…some sort of clown…a mask…”

        “You saw it?”

        Sakura sobbed harder.

        “Look…Sa…Kinomoto…you need to get a hold of yourself.”

        “But my family!”

        “I know, I know. But if we don’t do something, we aren’t going to get them back.”

        “B-but…but…”

        Syaoran grabbed her shoulders and looked Sakura straight in the eye.

        “Look, I know it was probably scary, but…you’ve gotta calm down. You’re scared. I get it, but you’re not alone. If you calm down, you’ll be able to focus!”

        Sakura tried to stop crying, taking a few deep breathes. She shut her eyes, feeling a familiar soul wavelength: a spirit of Clow, no different from all the others. She remembered what Yuuko Ichihara had said the night before. These spirits and Clow Reed would try to isolate her to drive her mad. She couldn’t let that happen.

        She tried wiping her eyes with her sleeve, but Syaoran handed her a dry handkerchief for her to use instead. She accepted it and wiped her drying tears away.

        “Thank you,” Sakura sniffed.

        “Are you done crying now?” Syaoran asked, somewhat concerned.

        “Yes, sorry about that.”

        “It’s fine…” he blushed a little and looked away.

        She handed it back when she was done, but he motioned her to go ahead and keep it for now. Sakura looked at the front door of the apartment building. With a newfound determination, she reached for the door handle.

        “Wait,” Syaoran interrupted.

        “What is it?” replied Sakura with concern.

        “We need to make sure that we go in undetected. We don’t know if this spirit will take one of us next.”

        “That’s true…AH!”

        With a newfound realization, Sakura reached for her pouch of cards. To her dismay, she didn’t have them with her.

        “You don’t have your Clow Cards with you…do you?”

        “I must’ve left them in the apartment…” Sakura groaned.

        Syaoran grabbed his stash in his back pocket and handed them to her.

        “Why are you…”

        “If I get attacked first, you’ll at least have something to use,” Syaoran told her. At this, Sakura grabbed his shirt sleeve, an anxious look on her face.

        “We’ll be fine,” he assured, “We just have to be quiet for now. Let’s get to your apartment first and then find the spirit from there.”

        Sakura nodded. She pulled at the front door, but it was locked. A person needed a scan card to get in the front, and Touya had the card. Sakura sighed and flipped through Syaoran’s stash of Clow Cards. She immediately found the perfect one to use.

        “ _THROUGH,_ ” she whispered, and she became transparent. She grabbed Syaoran’s hand, and they phased through the door. The lights no longer flickered and had gone out completely, leaving no way for them to see. Since neither of them had cards relating to light or fire, Syaoran grabbed a piece of paper with a spell written on it. He whispered an incantation Sakura couldn’t quite hear, and the paper was ablaze, a flame that Syaoran now held in his hand.

        “Which way?” he asked in a low voice, and Sakura pointed. They headed to the emergency stairwell, hoping the spirit wouldn’t hear their footsteps.


	14. Together

AN: This part was split into two chapters. Because, hey, why have one big update when you can have two smaller updates at once! Sexual content based on a story I _actually_ overheard once from a girl I sat next to in school. Hope you get as amused and grossed out as I did.

* * *

     The emergency lights still worked as they climbed the emergency staircase. Their footsteps echoed, but nothing bad seemed to happen when they made noise, so they talked. They walked steadily, seeing as there were a lot of stairs to climb, and running would wear them out.

     “That fire spell was amazing, Li!” Sakura exclaimed, climbing ahead of her male acquaintance.

     “It’s pretty basic,” he shrugged, “With more training, even _you_ would probably be able to do it.”

     “Yeah,” she mumbled, scratching her head, “I haven’t gotten training on much magic since I came here…”

     “Cerberus hasn’t trained you?”

     “Well, the only things he knows are in the Book of Clow, and most of the spell in there are, like, explanations of each card, how to use a scepter wand, and some other stuff I can’t do yet…and there are a lot of _blank_ pages too. It’s weird.”

     “Really? Blank pages?”

     “Yeah…the handwriting in the book kinda stops halfway through the book.”

     “Strange.”

     “I know!”

     “So…is this _your_ apartment building?”

     “Um…no I live in the one on campus. This is my brother’s place. What about you?”

     “Me? Meiling and I live off campus.”

     “Off-campus?? Can you even afford that?”

     “Well…my mother sends us the money we need.”

     “Oh wow, that’s nice! Stove and everything?”

     “Two bedroom. Two bathroom.”

     “That _is_ nice. Tomoyo and I have to…well…had to share the bathroom.”

     “That must’ve been strange.”

     “Not really. Even if Tomoyo liked me…you know…like _that_ , she respected my space. It was pretty easy sharing the bathroom. And I got the duty of cleaning it. That and doing dinner.”

     Syaoran was silent, so Sakura turned around for a moment. He had an eyebrow raised, as if confused.

     “Who does dinner in your apartment?”

     “Well…I kinda do the cooking.”

     “All of it?”

     “Yeah. Cleaning too. Except laundry. Meiling won’t let me touch her laundry. Not that I want to, but you know…”

     “You do _all_ of the cooking and cleaning?!” she exclaimed.

     “Huh? Well…yeah…”

     “That’s so strange! We split the duties and traded off every now and then. Why do you do all of it?”

     “Meiling…well…her cooking’s…kinda…”

     “Oh…that bad?”

     “Yeah.”

     “What about cleaning?”

     “She never really did it, and I didn’t want to fight her on it, so I just kind of did it.”

     “That doesn’t seem very fair though. You should’ve said something.”

     “Yeah…but it’s no big deal…”

     “Well…I guess it’s kind of cool that you know how to cook and clean. I hear some stories about male partners, weapon or meister, that don’t even pick up after themselves.”

     “Yeah…some of the guys complain about, ‘My girl won’t stop nagging me about the dishes!’ or some bullshit like that.”

     “Locker room talk?”

     “Yeah…I don’t get involved.”

     “I try not to either.”

     “Still…you’ll hear some funny stuff.”

     “Yeah…oh! Like, this one time, some girl was telling this story about having sex with her boyfriend…”

     Syaoran’s face went bright red. He never was comfortable talking about this subject.

     “Ummm….Do I really want to hear this?”

     “No, trust me. This is pretty funny.”

     “…okay…go on…” he sighed.

     “Okay…so anyways, she was talking about having sex with her boyfriend, and they didn’t have a condom, so instead they…pfftt….”

     “What? What is it?”

     Sakura was snickering.

     “They…Instead of a condom, they…they used a sock!”

     Syaoran nearly fell down a step.

     “WHAT?!”

     “I KNOW! They grabbed, like, a SOCK off the floor and…

     “Oh God, that’s gross…”

     They stopped on the flight of steps they were on and started laughing. This went on for a short while before they started climbing more stairs.

     “That’s just…wow…” Syaoran chuckled, shaking his head in disdain.

     “I KNOW! It’s so gross…”

     “I have, like, twenty questions.”

     “So did Tomoyo and I. We laughed about it for days.”

     Sakura sighed, and they got quiet.

     “Do you miss her, Kinomoto?”

     “Yeah…I wish…I wish she didn’t feel the need to protect herself from me. She’s…she’s my best friend. I know she wouldn’t hurt me. I don’t know why she thinks otherwise. Still, I can’t help but feel like it’s my fault somehow.”

     “…I don’t think you should blame yourself. It won’t get you any closer to trying to help her.”

     “But…what _can_ I do? I know I have this…anti-demon whatever, but I don’t even though what that is!”

     “I think…since you’re her friend, you just need to be there for her when you can. Knowing that your there will probably…be more than enough.”

     Sakura turned around to look at him. They made eye contact for a split second before Syaoran looked away and scratched his head.

     “You’re a lot nicer than I think we’ve given you credit for, Li,” she said before continuing up the stairs.

     “I’m just… _sigh_ …glad I could help…”

     They continued until Sakura turned to a door at the beginning of one of the staircases.

     “This is the floor we need to be on,” she whispered. Syaoran nodded and readied another light before they slowly opened the door and disappeared into the darkness.

* * *

     As soon as they reached the apartment, Sakura fished for her key and opened the door. The door creaked open, and they were greeted with a room left in shambled. Parts of the floor were missing, with black voids warping underneath. Parts of the walls and ceiling seemed to do the same.

     They walked around the voids in the apartment, as they reached the living room. With the dim lighting of Syaoran’s flame, Sakura noticed a familiar pouch on the floor. She grabbed it and handed Syaoran his cards back.

     “Found them?” he whispered.

     “Yeah,” she replied, “And we won’t have to whisper for much longer.”

     She pulled out the card she wanted and whispered the spell.

     “ _Make us unheard by our Enemy. SILENT._ ”

     The SILENT obeyed, and their world around them was now without sound. Sakura stomped on the floor. No sound. And then she yelled.

     “HHHEEEEEEEEEEEEEEYYYY!!!!”

     Syaoran nearly jumped out of his skin, but there was no reaction from the spirit after she did this. Syaoran sighed in relief.

     “Good call.”

     “Thanks!” Sakura chirped, “It probably won’t last very long, so we’ll probably have to hurry.”

     “Yeah…I think it’s safe to say that the spirit’s _definitely_ in this specific room.”

     “You sure?”

     “Check next door to see if their apartment looks like this.”

     Sakura used THROUGH peeked next door. It looked normal, aside from some broken glass and some other messed-around items from the chaos.

     “Nope. No weird void things.”

     “Then, my guess was right. Let’s start looking.”

     They wandered the apartment, and came down a hallway, where the spiritual energy was the strongest. Unfortunately, they came across a large gap too big for them to jump.

     “I can use FLY,” Sakura suggested.

     “Maybe, but just to be cautious, let’s use a quieter way to get across,” Syaoran added. He pulled out The FLOAT.

     “Here,” he said, handing her the card, but she shook her head.

     “Let’s use it together,” she said, “It’ll be more effective than if I just did it.”

     They both grabbed the card.

     “ _FLOAT!_ ”

     A bubble formed around them, carrying them safely across. With a soft landing, they were now on the other side.

     “Where to now?” Syaoran asked. Sakura shut her eyes to sense the spirit. She opened them in surprise.

     “There are two…”

     “What?”

     “There are two of them here. They’re in the same place…”

     “Well…where are they?”

     “They’re…in the guest bedroom…where I sleep when I come over here…”

     “They’re waiting for us.”

* * *

     Sakura opened the door to see what she sensed: two spirits of Clow. One of them was a woman (at least that’s what it looked like) in a jester costume and mask. She was making things disappear and reappear using some sort of cape. The other spirit was a small girl in a black bubble. Her hair was long and curly, with wings floating above her head. She wore a long grey dress and a dark, circular gem on her forehead. Her skin and eyes were pale and sickly. She was smiling and clapping at the jester woman’s tricks.

     The jester woman looked up to see Sakura and Syaoran ready to fight them. Her mask turned from a creepy smile to a frightening frown, and she disappeared from their sight.

     “Damn!” Syaoran hissed, and soon he started to see that he was fading away.

     “LI!” Sakura cried in distress.

     “CALM DOWN. It’s going to be fine. Just concentrate!”

     Sakura’s heart was pounding in her ears as she looked around the room. She saw a picture frame glowing on the dresser ahead of her. The young girl spirit merely watched with interest as Sakura ran towards it. It was a picture of her and Tomoyo smiling. She opened the frame, and out popped the jester, cover in diamond shapes and no longer wearing a frightening mask.

     “She found me, VOID,” the jester said and she warped into a golden bauble before Sakura’s eyes. She pulled out a blank card and chanted the spell to seal it away. The jester woman appeared on the card, holding her mystical cape. It read The ERASE. Syaoran immediately stopped fading and returned to normal.

     “You found her,” the small spirit said, and Sakura and Syaoran turned their attention to her.

     “And you found _me_ ,” she continued. Sakura noticed that the room hadn’t returned to normal.

     “Sadly, I cannot go with you yet, Ms. Sakura,” she added, “I must wait until you’ve gathered them all. Clow Reed says I must stop you, but I must deliver a message of my own.”

     Sakura raised an eyebrow, as did Syaoran.

     “ _Release us_ ,” she echoed, “ _We are doomed to wander this limbo forever if we stay here. Release us. We are scared to be alone._ ”

     The dark bubble around her went completely back, and she vanished out of sight. The apartment then returned to normal as the lights flickered back on.

     “Well, that was odd,” Syaoran commented walking over to Sakura.

     “She said ‘us.’ Do you think she meant her and the other spirits?”

     “She probably messing with us,” he shrugged, but Sakura didn’t seem so sure.

     “Sakura?” a familiar voice called out, “What’s Ms. Meiling Li doing in the living room?”

     It was Yukito.

     “Sounds like he doesn’t remember disappearing,” Syaoran shrugged.

     “Meiling probably won’t remember either then,” Sakura giggled.

     “We better get out there.”

     “Yeah…. Hey! Do you wanna hang out with us for the rest of Christmas Eve?”

     Syaoran seemed unsure.

     “It’s only eleven. At midnight, we turn in so that we can enjoy a late Christmas morning. You can stay for a little while. You and Meiling.”

     “I dunno…”

     “I promise I won’t let Kero-chan or Touya try to kill you,” she teased.

      They could hear Syaoran’s stomach grumble with hunger.

     “Well, I guess that settles it,” Sakura chirped before hollering at Yukito, “SHE AND LI ARE JOING US FOR CHRISTMAS EVE! IS THAT COOL?”

     “No way! I don’t want that brat anywhere near me!” she could hear Touya yell from beyond.

     “It’ll be fine, Touya,” Yukito cooed.

     “Don’t make such a fit over it,” Sakura’s father sighed.

     Sakura opened the door and they headed out to the rest of the group.

     “I’m just glad they’re all back,” she murmured to herself, smiling with relief.

     “Saku…Kinomoto?” Syaoran began.

     “Hmm?” Sakura turned to him.

     “I’ve been wondering. How come you call me by my last name, but you don’t call Meiling by her last name?”

     “Well…I figured it’d get confusing, but mostly it’s because _you_ call _me_ by my last name. It seems only fair, right?”

     “I guess…”

     They walked down the hall, heading to the living room. Syaoran felt stupid for it, but his face was going red, and he wanted to at least saying something.

     “Sorry I couldn’t help you back there…or…”

     “What are you talking about? You helped me a lot! I don’t think I would’ve gotten a hold of myself if you hadn’t snapped me out of it. So thank you!”

     Syaoran was even redder than before. He didn’t know what she was doing to him, but he found it extremely annoying, and he wished his heart would stop beating so fast.

     It only got worse when he saw Yukito, and he stayed like that for most of the evening. Sakura grabbed some desserts, including some eggnog, bread pudding, and a homemade cherry pie, as her father helped her. With much coaxing, Sakura, Meiling, and Syaoran used The SNOW spirit to make it snow outside for Christmas Eve. Everyone enjoyed the rest of the evening, even the small girl spirit, as she sat outside the window. She smiled longingly at the happy group inside, feeling the warmth of the room come through the window. She basked in it before disappearing into the night.

 


	15. Switch

AN: Okay. No more Christmas things during the summer break. Now, it’s JANUARY! … Think of it as a way of cooling off?

* * *

            After catching The ERASE, things were strangely quiet for the rest of the break. Death City released its colorful fireworks display, celebrating the New Year, and the new semester began soon after.

            Sakura began perfecting her anti-demon wavelength skills, in the meantime. While Tomoyo was absent, someone Syaoran became the demon weapon test subject for these particular lessons.

            “Ms. Yuuko recommended it,” Maka explained to Sakura, Syaoran, and Meiling.

            “Ms…Yuuko?” Sakura bemused. There was a clicking of heels outside and in walked in the new teacher for young witches, Ms. Yuuko Ichihara. She sported a dark pencil skirt and a tight-fitting blouse. Her long, dark hair was pinned into a bun, some long pieces of hair pooling to the side.

            “Their souls are compatible to a certain extent,” Yuuko said, and then turning to Sakura, “I told her to give it a shot.”

            Maka and Yuuko watched these exercises carefully. Thankfully, nothing seemed to go wrong. However, the strange part for Sakura was closing her eyes while Syaoran was just a few feet away, and then opening her eyes to see him right next to her.

            “He’s drawn to your wavelength,” Yuuko commented.

            “That’s good!” Maka nodded and took down some notes.

            Sakura and Syaoran looked at each other in confusion. Meiling merely sat to the side, glaring at them in disdain.

* * *

            Sakura now stood before a cell door, blank school papers and other school items in her hand. She knocked on the door, as it let out soft, metal clangs.

            “Tomoyo? I…brought the homework you missed.”

            A small door at the top opened revealing a pair of sunken blue eyes. Tomoyo reached a hand out for the papers. Sakura handed them to her gently, and Tomoyo took them in her cell before closing the little peep door.

            “We were all wondering when you were going to come back to class,” Sakura added, trying to sound cheerful.

            There was silence.

            “Everyone’s been talking about you. They miss you, Tomoyo.”

            Still silence.

            “I miss you…”

            There was a shuffling noise, and the small peep door opened again.

            “I miss you too, Sakura,” Tomoyo cooed from her self-made prison.

            “I’ve been…practicing my anti-demon…thing…” Sakura chirped.

            “Have you now?” Tomoyo replied sadly.

            “Here. Gimme your hand.”

            Tomoyo hesitated but obeyed. The two girls held hands for a minute, and then, Tomoyo felt it. It was a calming sensation, so warm and blissful. Her spirits lifted. She felt a moment of peace, being away from the voices in her head.

            “Wow…Sakura, that’s fantastic,” Tomoyo said breathlessly. Sakura smiled as her friend gazed at her lovingly through the peep hole.

            “I hear you can capture spirits without a weapon,” Tomoyo added, and Sakura froze, looking down somberly.

            “Yeah…only…sparingly,” Sakura replied, “They said it makes me more susceptible to ‘madness’ or something.”

            “Madness…” Tomoyo whispered, disappearing from her peep hole into her cell.

            “Madness…yes…I’ve learned it all too well in here.”

            “Then, come back, Tomoyo! I can help you now!”

            “No…no, it’s…not that simple…”

            “Tomoyo, you’re my best friend. You’re my partner. You can trust me. … Please?”

            Tomoyo seemed to consider it for a moment, but then retreated back. Sakura had never seen her friend so scared. She heard Tomoyo weep as she slowly walked away. Maka Albarn-Evans was waiting for her.

            “She didn’t want to leave, did she?” Maka said.

            “No,” Sakura replied.

            “I told Kid…Lord Death that leaving her alone like this would only make the madness worse. Still, it seems like we can’t dissuade her, even with the new training I’ve given you.”

            Sakura looked like she was about to cry, so Maka put a comforting hand on her shoulder.

            “It’s going to be okay,” she assured, “Just visit her like this and just be there for her. She needs the support.”

            Sakura nodded and smiled a little.

            “For now, we need to find you a new weapon partner. Just…until Tomoyo gets better… I’m going to see if Mira Nygus can see to her care. Although, I’m not sure if you can resonate with someone else. We usually don’t…”

            “Li…” Sakura murmured.

            “Excuse me?”

            “Li…I…I resonated with him…. We caught a spirit…The ILLUSION…”

            Maka looked intrigued, but she wasn’t sure if this was the right call. Syaoran Li already had a partner, and she wasn’t sure if his meister would be okay with this.

            They would just have to test it.

* * *

            “NO!”

            Maka was right. Meiling Li wasn’t going to be okay with this.

            “I’M NOT GIVING UP MY PARTNER! WHAT KIND OF DUMBASS IDEA IS THAT?”

            “We’re not asking you to completely give up your partner, Meiling,” Maka reassured, “We just need a temporary partner for Sakura until Tomoyo agrees to come back. Sakura needs to catch these spirits…”

            “YEAH, WELL, SO DO I!” Meiling snapped.

            “We,” Syaoran corrected.

            “What?”

            “ _We_ need to collect spirits of Clow. It’s not just ‘you.’”

            Meiling opened her mouth to say something, but then closed it, her lips pressed together to form a line.

            “You’ve been using ‘I’ and ‘me’ whenever talking about this sort of thing,” Syaoran added, “It’s not affecting our resonance very much, but, believe me, I’ve noticed.”

            “So?” Meiling retorted.

            “So…we’re supposed to be a team. Isn’t that how you see it?”

            “Of course I do! I…”

            “Then, can I say something about all of this?”

            “… Okay…”

            “I’m okay being Sakura’s partner.”

            “WHAT?!”

            “We resonate well. I….” and he stopped. He wanted to say that he felt safe but strong in Sakura’s grasp. It felt like home for him. However, all he did was look down, scratching the back of his head. His cheeks pinked a little.

            “But…but, you’re my partner. You promised.”

            “Meiling…”

            “You promised you’d be _my_ partner!”

            Maka tried to look at something else, staying out of whatever teenaged angst was going on in front of her right now. It reminded her of Soul and her somehow, from what little she heard.

            “I know I did, Meiling, but…” Syaoran began.

            “But what?” Meiling interrupted, “You changed your mind? You want the more powerful meister instead _my_ useless ass?!”

            “That’s not true, Meiling!”

            “THEN WHAT IS IT?!”

            “I CAN’T…I can’t explain it…”

            “Oh, you can’t, can you? Please…”

            “No, Meiling…you…you don’t understand…”

            “OH, I UNDERSTAND! YOU DON’T WANT YOUR USELESS COUSIN AS YOUR PARTNER. YOU DON’T WANT ME AROUND AND GETTING IN YOUR WAY! YOU NEVER CHANGE!!”

            “Meiling…”

            “ **I HATE YOU!** ”

            And with that, Meiling ran off in tears. It was at this point that Maka was paying the most attention. Concerned for her student, she decided to go after her.

            “You kids stay here. I’m going to try and calm her down.”

            They nodded as their teacher followed the now upset meister. Sakura sat down on the floor, and Syaoran joined her. Without really speaking, he leaned his head against Sakura’s shoulder. He could feel her soul wavelength soothing him, and he shut his eyes. Sakura was surprised, but somehow didn’t protest. She just smiled and leaned against his head. She felt a chaos in his soul wavelength. She released her anti-demon wavelength, and that seemed to help. They stayed like this, waiting for their teacher and fellow meister to return.

* * *

            Maka eventually found a sobbing Meiling in the girl’s locker room. She sat down next to her, tucking her long plaid skirt underneath.

            “Hey…” Maka cooed.

            “Wha’ d’you want?” Meiling sniffed.

            “I know how you feel.”

            “No you don’t.”

            “Sure I do. The feeling of betrayal from your partner?”

            Meiling looked up, wiping her nose on her sleeve.

            “Yeah, I know the feeling.”

            “But…that Soul Eater guy’s your weapon partner, right?”

            “Yup. And he did a really stupid thing when we were younger.”

            Meiling listened.

            “So…we were supposed to find this witch’s soul to turn him into a death scythe, right? Well, we came across what looked like this witch’s house. Now, she was… is this real buxom woman. And, of course, being a stupid boy, he was all googoo eyes over her. She asked him to come be his weapon, and, in an attempt to trick her, he said yes.”

            Meiling raised an eyebrow, but Maka continued.

            “Anyways, I didn’t know he was tricking her, and of course, I felt completely betrayed. I have this…weird hate relationship with my dad, and I always thought men were filthy cheaters because of him. I thought Soul would be different, you know? So…I was hurt. Well, as soon as his trick became more obvious, we ended up defeating the witch together.

            “Well, turns out, that witch was actually an over-powered cat. But regardless, we formed a new, stronger trust from that moment. That, and I kicked the shit out of him for it, for tricking me like that.”

            “What’s your point?”

            “Okay, okay. Point. The point is that I understand how you feel. You feel like it’s a personal attack against you, right?”

            Meiling nodded.

            “Listen, when you’re dealing with boys, they do some dumb stuff that we girls just don’t get. Same goes for boys. People sometimes fail to communicate with each other on things. So…talk with him. Tell him what you’re feeling. You don’t need to criticize him or anything. Just make your feelings and intentions clear. If he respects you, I’m sure he’ll understand.”

            Meiling made a sniffling nose, and Maka handed her a tissue from a small pack she kept in her pocket.

            “Did that help?” she asked.

            “Yeah…thank you,” Meiling answered, and they both got up off the floor.

            The lights in the room began to flicker. Then, a small streak sped past them by their feet. It sped through the door and ran out into the hall. Maka and Meiling soon ran after it, but it was nowhere to be found. They decided to head back to the classroom to make sure Sakura and Syaoran hadn’t found it first.

* * *

            Before the scurrying creature could escape, Sakura had slammed the door and locked it. The creature hid away, and Sakura ran over to Syaoran.

            “Did you see where it went?” she asked.

            Syaoran shook his head.

            “We may have to wait until it comes out again, then,” Sakura muttered. She gave her companion a look and then held out her hand. As if silently agreeing with her, he transformed into a sword. Sakura held him in her grasp, waiting for the opportunity to strike.

            “Do you have your cards with you?” Sakura asked.

            “They’re in my backpack, on the desk,” he answered, his after-image appearing in the sword’s silver blade. Sakura began to tiptoe her way to Syaoran’s desk, trying to be as quite as possible. She slowly reached for his bag when suddenly the creature they were after bolted from under the desk, dashing across the classroom floor.

            “Dammit!” Syaoran hissed.

            Sakura quickly grabbed the cards in his bag, but before she could see where their target went, it was out of sight again. With a huff, Sakura began adding Syaoran’s cards in with hers.

            “Don’t worry,” she assured, “I’ll give them back when we’re done.”

            When Syaoran looked, Sakura was lifting the side of her skirt, revealing more of her slender legs. Heat came off of the silver blade in her hand.

            “Wha-What are you doing?!” Syaoran cried in protest.

            “Relax, I keep my cards in a holster under my skirt,” she pouted.

            “Since when?!”

            “Since Tomoyo gave this to me. She said she got her sewing machine back from when her mother visited. She’s been making me things while…she’s been away.”

            Sakura undid the button to the card holster and slid the cards inside.

            “Sheesh…I didn’t know Daidouji was so…crafty,” Syaoran mumbled, his cheeks turning redder by the minute.

            “It’s just a late Christmas gift,” Sakura shrugged, “She felt bad about missing Christmas with me. She likes to make me things sometimes. I don’t know where she got the leather though…”

            There was a pause before Sakura dug out a Clow card, ready to attack.

            “Anyways, we better catch this thing, right?” Sakura piped up.

            “R-right…” Syaoran stuttered out, the image of Sakura’s leg still replaying in his head. He mentally shook away the thought and began to focus again.

            Sakura tried to sense out where the creature was, using her soul perception. She immediately noticed it, as she spotted a golden light on the opposite side of the room. It appeared to be shaking in fear.

            She slowly approached it. As she reached the desk, she swiftly threw the card up in the air and cast it’s spell.

            “ _TIME!_ ”

            The creature sped out, but it was immediately slowed down by the spell. It seemed that even in stopped time, this creature was still able to move, only much slower. Sakura could see that this creature was a like a cat or a small fox, with very long ears, like a rabbit’s. It turned to look at her, and a blue diamond twinkled on its forehead.

While Sakura didn’t want to hurt it, she aimed carefully, and with her eyes shut tightly, she stabbed through the creature. It’s remains wisped around before it turned into the golden bauble it needed to be. With that, Sakura opened her eyes, sealing the creature away into a card with the help of Syaoran’s blade.

            The card formed a picture of the small, cat-like creature with long ears. The name at the bottom read The DASH.

            As Sakura began to relax, there was a loud banging on the door. Syaoran transformed back into his human self and ran over to unlock the door.

* * *

            Maka and Meiling were surprised to see that the two had caught another spirit of Clow, as Sakura held The DASH up in her hand.

Meiling, of course, made up with her cousin, who apologized as well. After a short conversation, Meiling agreed to let Syaoran be Sakura’s partner.

            “It not that I like it, but…it’s fine,” she pouted, “You gotta do what you gotta do.”

            Sakura smiled a little and grabbed Meiling’s hand.

            “Thank you!” she grinned. Meiling was taken aback, but she rolled her eyes and grinned back.

            “Well, then, it’s settled!” Maka beamed, “Meiling, I’ll need you to help Sakura learn some sword fighting techniques. I’ll be sure to spot things, and make your resonance stays in check. We’ll all work hard together, okay?”

            Everyone agreed. Syaoran would continue to stay with Meiling. At least, he would stay for the time being.


	16. Move

AN: Less cardy fighty and more slicey lifey. My dad has this awesome recipe for chili. And where _did_ Tomoyo get that leather?

* * *

            Sakura became a frequent visitor at Meiling and Syaoran’s apartment. Clearly the more social of the three, she would bring games and other things to do. Meiling bonded with these sorts of things instantly. Syaoran, on the other hand, was much quieter.

            “Aaww man, I’m hungry,” Meiling grumbled, “Is it that late already.”

            The clock read 6:50 pm.

            “I should probably go then,” Sakura began, putting away the giant stacks of cards for the Apples to Apples game she brought with her.

            “No no no!” Meiling protested, “Stay! We’ll get dinner started. We’ve got plenty of food, right Syaoran?”

            “I believe so,” he nodded.

            “There you have it! C’mon, Sakura! You can totally stay for dinner.”

            “Um…alright!”

            “Yeah! Okay, Syaoran, why don’t you go ahead and start cookin’?”

            Syaoran made a small grunt, getting up off the floor, and heading off to the kitchen. Sakura frowned. Meiling continued to sit on the floor, as she helped put more of the cards away in the wooden box.

            “Does he need any help?” Sakura puzzled.

            “He’ll be fine. He usually cooks anyways,” Meiling brushed off.

            Sakura raised an eyebrow, as Meiling got up off the floor to stretch.

            “I’m gonna use the bathroom. Get right back,” she yawned, as she walked out of the room. Sakura shut the wooden box, looking over towards the kitchen.

            Syaoran stood at the counter, as he finished cutting some onions. His face was expressionless, as he cleaned off the knife and put it away. He took the onions and scraped them into a bowl that had diced tomatoes in it. He opened the fridge and found the ground beef.

            There was a knocking sound by the entrance to the kitchen, and he turned towards it.

            “Figured I’d come in and help,” Sakura smiled, as she walked over to him. Syaoran felt his body freeze and his cheeks heat up. He didn’t get why this always seemed to happen around her.

            “Wha’cha makin’?” she bemused, looking at the pot of water heating up on the stove.

            “Chili,” he answered, “Got the recipe on this cooking website.”

            “Ooo, that sounds pretty good! Have you made it before?”

            “Not really…”

            “I can certainly help! My dad has a great recipe for chili that he taught me!”

            Syaoran looked surprised. He wasn’t expecting her to be so willing to help.

            “If…if that’s okay…” she said, almost like a question.

            Syaoran nodded.

            “Oh good! Lemme see the recipe you have.”

            He handed her a printed-out piece of paper, which she scanned over carefully.

            “Seems close to what I learned…although, there aren’t a lot of spices listed here…”

            “Spices? Like…to make it spicey?”

            “Oh no…nothing like that. There’s some spices you can add to give the beef a richer flavor. And…huh…that’s weird…it says to add the spices _after_ you put in all of the ingredients. I’d put them in before.”

            Syaoran looked puzzled.

            “Here. You have the ground beef and a bowl?”

            Syaoran nodded. He placed the beef near the large bowl needed for mixing the ingredients together. Sakura was already nosing through all of the cabinets.

            “Where do you keep the spices?” she asked.

            Syaoran pointed to the cabinet next to him.

            “Ah. Thanks!”

            She rushed over, flinging the small doors open and shuffling through the tiny jars and containers.

            “Oh good, here’s some rosemary and some thyme. Ooo, basil leaves!”

            Syaoran just stood there, not really knowing what to do. However, Sakura seemed to be stretching for something she couldn’t reach.

            “What do you need?” he asked.

            “There’s some…beef cubes…up here,” she grunted out, continuing to reach for a small, plastic jar, filled with small, wrapped-up cubes. Syaoran reached above her, struggling only a little and grabbing the jar.

            “Here,” he said, handing her what she wanted.

            “Thank you!” she smiled, taking the jar, and scurrying behind him. She put the beef cubes by the tomatoes and onions by the stove and ran over with the other spices to the ground beef.

            She opened the package and emptied the beef into the bowl. She took large pinches of rosemary, thyme, and basil and sprinkled them in liberally. After this, she began kneading the spices into the beef with her hands.

            “Ummm…”

            “Yes?” she turned over to Syaoran.

            “Can I…um…”

            “OH! I’m sorry! I’m practically taking over the kitchen, aren’t I?”

            “It’s okay. It’s just…what can I do?”

            She smiled.

            “Can you check the water and see if it’s boiling yet? And do you have any red beans?”

            Syaoran checked the water and then moved over to the pantry. There was a can of red beans, which he brought over.

            “Okay, good! If you could put those in with the tomatoes and onions, that’d be awesome! After that, you wanna take a turn kneading the beef?”

            Syaoran smiled and nodded. He emptied the can of beans into the other ingredients by the stove. Coming over to Sakura, he stepped if and helped with the ground beef.

            “Do you have any tomato sauce?” Sakura asked.

            “Umm…yeah. It’s in the fridge. Why?”

            “I’m going to pour it in the water for the chili. It’ll give it a tomato base.”

            Syaoran nodded. After washing her hands, she went for a fridge and grabbed the tomato sauce. Syaoran looked over his shoulder to see her pouring a liberal amount of sauce into the pot.

            “Shouldn’t you measure that first?” he panicked.

            “It’s fine. Dad says there’s just some things you don’t need to measure.”

            “You learned cooking from your dad?”

            “Yep. He’s a really good cook! He made most of those dishes at the Christmas party, remember?”

            “Oh yeah…that was…oh, does this look okay?”

            He showed her the contents of the bowl, the ground beef now littered with the spices in the bowl.

            “Looks good! Now, we need to cook the beef and make it tender to put in the chili.”

            Syaoran nodded in agreement. We washed his hands and grabbed a pan and spatula to cook the beef in. With some non-stick oil, he cooked the beef, as Sakura checked on the boiling water and tomato sauce.

            It didn’t take long for the beef to cook as the water began to boil, and the two of them added the beef and the other ingredients, stirring them together. Sakura added a beef cube, stirring the contents as the cube melted into the hot, steaming water. Syaoran grabbed a lid and put it on top of the pot. Sakura set a timer.

            “Now we can wait a bit!” she chirped, “I’ll help set the table.”

            “Sakura, what are you doing?” a voice piped in.

            Meiling stood by the kitchen entrance.

            “Oh, I was just helping Li make dinner!”

            “Why?”

            Sakura frowned.

            “Well…I thought he could use some help,” Sakura shrugged.

            There was an awkward pause.

            “Alright. Whatever,” Meiling mumbled, as she turned around to head back into the living room. There was a click and the sound of the television being turned on.

            “I remember you saying that Meiling doesn’t really help you cook, but…” Sakura started, but she cut herself off.

            “It’s fine,” Syaoran shrugged, “She doesn’t cook a lot, and she’s not very good at it.”

            Sakura let out a sigh. She hadn’t been very good at cooking either when she started, but she got better over time with practice. She was sure Meiling would get better with practice too. However, she kept this thought to herself.

            “Do you…ever wish she _would_ help?” Sakura finally asked.

            “…Sometimes…”

            They started grabbing bowls and spoons to set the table.

            “Have you told her?” Sakura asked.

            “Not really,” Syaoran replied solemnly.

            “Why not?”

            “I don’t really want to fight with her about it, so…”

            “It doesn’t have to be a fight. You can just…talk about it.”

            There was a pause. Syaoran seemed somber for whatever reason.

            “Do you…not like being partners with her?”

            Syaoran stopped dead, his hand resting on the spoon he just set down.

            “That’s not…”

            “Then what is it?”

            Syaoran seemed to be trying to say something, but he just couldn’t speak. He was fumbling over his words, scratching the back of his head, and fidgeting with his hands. Sakura had never really seen him like this very much. He usually seemed so collected.

            Without thinking, she blurted out.

            “Come stay with me.”

            Syaoran stopped fidgeting and looked at her, blinking a few times in disbelief.

            “What?”

            Realizing what she just said, she turned pink.

            “W-well, they say that living with your meister or weapon improves your resonance with them, and since we’re not partners…”

            “But, it’s only temporary,” Syaoran added.

            “I know that, but…well, maybe staying at my place can be temporary too!”

            They both looked at each other for a while, and then the timer for the chili went off.

            “I’ll get that!” Sakura stammered with her cheeks still pink.

* * *

            “Ah YUM!” Meiling hummed in glee, as she took her first bite of chili.

            “It’s okay?” Sakura asked.

            “It’s fantastic! I can’t believe you’re so good at cooking!”

            “Well, I guess we _both_ are,” she motioned to Syaoran.

            Meiling nodded, eating more of the chili enthusiastically. The table was silent for a moment, as all of the kids filled their mouths with the beefy concoction.

            “So…I was thinkin’…” Meiling said, a mouth full of beans and beef, “Y’know how Daidouji’s all cooped up in that cell?”           

            Sakura nodded sadly.

            “I got this. Why don’t we trade weapon partner? She’ll stay here and get better, while Syaoran stays at your place!”

            Syaoran coughed a little on his food but recovered fairly quickly. Sakura looked up in surprise at Meiling.

            “You’re okay with your cousin moving in with me?”

            “Well, sure! I mean, it’s only temporary, and we’re all friends, right?”

            Syaoran and Sakura looked at each other. Syaoran looked bewildered, but Sakura gradually smiled in excitement.

            “Yeah!” she exclaimed, “Totally!”

            “What d’ya think, Syaoran?” Meiling asked, “Sound cool for now?”

            Syaoran took a swig of water. He needed air. He needed to breathe. He calmed down for a moment. Joy was swelling up in his chest against his better judgement. He gave a small smile and nodded.

            “Then, it’s settled!” Meiling smiled, taking another bite of chili.

* * *

            “Hey, Daidouji,” Meiling hollered on the phone line.

            “Hello, Meiling, how are you?”

            “I’m good. That meister of yours makes a mean bowl of chili.”

            Tomoyo giggled.

            “It’s all settled. Syaoran’s moving in with Sakura in a few days, so you’ll be able to get out of that dusty old cell.”

            “That’s good. Since I’ve started sewing again, it’s been getting hard to see in here.”

            “I’m glad I can help you out.”

            “And thank you so much for the leather. Sakura loved the new holster I made when she visited.”

            “Yeah, I kept seeing that thing. She wears it as a belt?”

            “You can wear it like that or as a leg garter and so many other ways.”

            “You’re pretty crafty there.”

            Tomoyo let out a soft giggle.

            “You don’t mind this change?”

            “It’s for the best. I just don’t want to hurt Sakura, and I don’t know why. Your wavelength is very calming for me, that first time you visited me.”

            “Really?”

            “Yes.”

            “Well, this thing’s only temporary, right?”

            “Yes, Meiling.”

            “Good. I don’t want him away for too long. After this is all over, he and I have to go back to Hong Kong.”

            “I see.”

            “At least when you’re out, you’ll be able to get the fabrics yourself! You won’t have to count on me!”

            “Indeed not!”

            “The fabric store here in Death City’s insane. You’ll probably like it.”

            “I’m sure I will.”

            “…In case you were wondering, Sakura does seem to miss you.”

            “…”

            “She talks about you a lot.”

            “Really?”

            “Yeah…”

            There was a pause.

            “I’ll see you all in a few days,” Tomoyo finally spoke.

            “Yeah, see you later.”

            Tomoyo hung up the prison phone with a click, and Sid led her back to her cell. While he could see it, Tomoyo smiled as a tear ran down her face.

* * *

            Sakura dropped her bag. She was heading over to Meiling’s to help grab Syaoran’s things, but she opened the door to a surprise.

            Tomoyo stood in the doorway, smiling gently and her eyes watery. Sakura instantly hugged her dearest friend so tightly that she might break a rib or two. Tomoyo returned the embrace.

            “I MISSED YOU SO MUCH,” Sakura sobbed into her shoulder.

            “I missed you too, Sakura,” she whispered so that only Sakura could hear.

            “All of his stuff is packed, so you’re all good to go, Tomoyo!” Meiling called, as she put the last cardboard box in the living room with the others.

            “So…you’re moving in with Meiling?” Sakura asked.

            “That’s the plan,” Tomoyo explained, “The teachers were talking, and Meiling and I agreed that we should just trade partners for the time being until things settle down.”

            Sakura looked down sadly. She didn’t want Tomoyo in that musty old cell, but she didn’t want her old weapon partner to leave her either. Tomoyo put her hands on Sakura’s shoulders.

            “We’ll still see each other and hang out. Don’t worry. You’re still my best friend.”

            Sakura nodded and then smiled.

            “I’m sure you’ll be alright,” Tomoyo added before give her a small peck on the forehead and running back in to help Meiling and Syaoran. Sakura stood at the door, her thoughts hazy, but she eventually walked in and joined everyone, clearing her head.

            Once they put most of the boxes in a large truck that Yukito drove over, Sakura and Syaoran rode off, waving goodbyes to Meiling and Tomoyo behind them.

            “Thanks for helping with this, Yukito,” Sakura commented. She sat next to Yukito in the middle while Syaoran had the window seat.

            “It’s no trouble at all,” Yukito replied, “Your brother was very stubborn about wanting to help out.”

            “I don’t think he likes Li very much.”

            “You can say that again. He never tells me why. Must be because he’s a boy.”

            Syaoran made an angry groan.

            “Touya always seems to get on edge when I talk about boys,” Sakura added.

            “Really?” Yukito responded.

            “Yeah. I make fun of him for it, of course. It’s like he’s got some weird sister complex or something.”

            Syaoran chuckled at this.

            “I wonder why he was never wary about Tomoyo though?” Sakura thought aloud, “He seemed to know that she liked me.

            “He told me that it was because he knew Tomoyo well enough through her times hanging out with you. He knew enough to know she wouldn’t try to do anything to make you uncomfortable,” Yukito explained.

            “But I know Li wouldn’t do something like that,” Sakura pointed out, “I think he’s got other interests anyways, right Li?”

            He looked over at her as she gave him a thumbs-up. She was hinting at his crush on Yukito. Syaoran immediately got this and turned away, his face now beet red. Sakura giggled as Yukito continued to drive.

            They reached Sakura’s dormitory and started to haul boxes. Sakura was able to carry more with the help of a dolly. Syaoran carried most of his stuff in his hands.

            “Have you thought about telling him?” Sakura asked as Yukito passed by.

            Syaoran blushed and shook his head.

            “Aaww, why not?”

            “Have _you_ thought about telling him?” Syaoran retorted.

            “Touché. Only a little bit.”

            “How come _you_ haven’t told him?”

            “Because…I wanna wait until I’m older.”

            “Why?”

            “So that I’m old enough to marry him!”

            Syaoran nearly dropped the box he carried.

            “You’re planning that far ahead?!” he asked, bewildered.

            “Sure! Why not?”

            “It’s just…I dunno…I don't see you marrying the guy.”

            “Oh, and you do?”

            “I didn’t say that.”

            “But you do, don’t you?”

            “Not really…”

            “Really?”

            “Well…” he started as all of the blood rushed into his face, “It…feels good to be around him, but I dunno if I’d want to marry the guy. I mean…”

            “Who _would_ you marry?” Sakura eyebrowed.

            “I don’t know!” Syaoran stuttered out, “I haven’t met…that person yet, I guess.”

            “Okay, fine, but I don’t see why _I_ can’t marry him.”

            “Isn’t he, like…way older than us? Like your brother?”

            “That’s why I’m waiting until I’m older!”

            “I know…but still…”  
            They got to Sakura’s, and now Syaoran’s, dorm, and Sakura opened the door, letting Syaoran in first.

            “How long are you planning on waiting exactly?” Syaoran continued, “I don’t know if he’s really going to wait or…”

            “If it’s meant to be, I think he will,” Sakura beamed, a hopeful look in her eyes. Syaoran, on the other hand, seemed doubtful. Worried even.

            “What if it isn’t?”

            “I think it _is_.”

            “But, what if it _isn’t_? What are you going to do?”

            Sakura frowned. She never really considered the possibility of there being someone else meant for her. She unloaded the boxes from the dolly, and they kept talking as they went downstairs to get more things. Sakura left the door open. A small, fairy-like creature ducked into the dorm while they weren’t looking.

            “Look, I’m sorry,” Syaoran mumbled guiltily, “I just…don’t want to see you get your hopes up, and then…get hurt somehow.”

            Sakura looked surprised by this.

            “You’re _that_ worried about me?” she asked.

            “Well…I…um…I mean…”

            “Thank you.”

            She gave him a side hug, and his body stiffened at the physical contact.

            “Are you okay?” she enquired.

            “I, uh, don’t really…” he started, and then he motioned at the hug she was giving him.

            “Oh gosh! I’m sorry! You don’t like being touched, do you?”

            “Not really…”

            “That explains why you stiffen up in Meiling’s grasp, isn’t it?”

            Syaoran nodded.

            “It’s okay. I’ll do my best to not—”

            Before she could finish, they heard a small poof behind them. They turned around and headed back to the dorm room.

            All of Syaoran’s boxes were now bite sized squares.

* * *

            It was exhausting, but they caught it, and it made moving Syaoran’s stuff into the apartment. It was a small and mischievous spirit of Clow called The LITTLE, which the two decided to use to shrink Syaoran’s things down to a manageable size. They were still covered in sweat from chasing the small creature.

Thankfully, it was interested in the objects and not people, because when Sakura tried turning Syaoran’s boxes back to a normal size (at least the ones they used the card on), she couldn’t.

            “Do you know any spells to make things bigger?” Syaoran asked anxiously.

            “I…ngh…no. I only know about the spirit of Clow called The BIG, but I don’t know where that would be…” Sakura stammered as Yukito tapped her shoulder. He appeared to be looking up at something. Sakura looked up to see a tall giant of a woman in clothes that were clearly too large for her. She smiled serenely at Sakura, and everyone backed away, trying not to step on the now small boxes.

           The spirit looked down to see the problem. She frowned, but then she smiled, waving a big shirt sleeve. The boxes then became bigger. Maybe too big. They were now twice their original size, as tall as Syaoran. The spirit smiled triumphantly.

           “No, no!” Sakura cried, waving her hands at the spirit to stop. She seemed confused.

           “It’s too big!” Sakura signaled, waving her arms. The spirit, however, took this as a sign to make the boxes bigger. They were now as tall as Yukito.

           “No! No no no!” Sakura cried again. This time, she held out The LITTLE card.

           The spirit looked at it, squinting. Seeming to understand, she suddenly contorted herself into a golden orb. Wiggling out of the rubble, Syaoran helped Sakura to seal the spirit away. The tall woman in too-large clothes now appeared on the card. It was, of course, titled The BIG.

          “Well, that certainly made today interesting, didn’t it?” Yukito added, awkwardly. With combined effort of both The BIG and LITTLE, Sakura returned the boxes to their normal sizes. The two teenagers were then settled into their new rooms, now with two more Clow Cards. There were now only thirteen left to catch.


	17. Sunrise

AN: So, there’s a partner switcheroo! Only thirteen spirits of Clow left to capture. I wanted to focus more on writing a dream-like part. Dreams are fun to write. There will probably be more of them as the story continues. Dreams are very important in this.

* * *

            Sakura fell quickly asleep after a long day of capturing spirits of Clow. Syaoran, of course, crashed into his room next door to Sakura’s. They didn’t bother cooking anything and just ordered cheap Chinese food. Now, they were asleep, bellies full of stir-fry and MSG.

            They now had The CREATE, GLOW, MAZE, and ARROW. Their two small card stacks now made one large one, and they only had nine cards left to make. Sakura fell into peaceful sleep, dreaming over their night’s adventure.

            One of their classmates, Naoko, had their hands on a journal that brought to life whatever was written in it: The CREATE. When Syaoran and Sakura found The MAZE, strange creatures began blocking their path. Sakura began putting her new sword wielding to use as she slashed through monster after monster.

Then, of course, two more cards showed up in the maze: a young girl with a bow and arrow, and then raining balls of light. Using SHIELD, Sakura was able to get close enough to strike the archer girl, reaping and capturing her, now named The ARROW. The balls of light were easier to catch, and they were named The GLOW, a picture of a fairy girl holding a fuzzy flower.

            Using BIG, Sakura made herself tower over the maze, and she was able to escape it. Once she captured The MAZE, her dream went black. Everything went black.

            Complete darkness.

            The ground below felt so far away. Sakura took out The LITTLE and shrunk back down to her original size. When she did, her surroundings were covered in red curtains. She pulled it down only to have the ground liquefy below her, and she fell through into the black liquid below. With the curtain still in her hands, Sakura climbed up it to try and reach the surface.

            Finding a solid piece to grab, she hoisted herself out of the black ooze. It dripped off of her hair like ink, but it felt like something thicker and heavier on the rest of her body. She looked down to see that her outfit she previously wore was gone. It was replaced with black fabric created by the black liquid she crawled out of. It was long and flowing.

            She stepped out to feel tile underneath her bare feet. She walked towards a red door and reached out. Her hand, both of which were covered in long black gloves, reached for the knob and gave it a twist. It opened with ease, and she stepped inside.

            It looked like a music room of some sort. There was a record player, and a leather recliner. The tile was a black and white checkerboard pattern. Sakura decided to play a game with herself and only stepped on the white tiles. She reached for the recliner and sat down. The rest of the room was dark.

            Out of nervousness, Sakura fiddled with the record player next to her. It played a slow, jazzy sort of tune. She relaxed herself in the chair as she played with her new black dress. It had cap sleeves that went off her shoulders, and the skirt flared out, going down to just below her ankles. There was tulle and a dress liner underneath the skirt of the dress, giving it an elegant poof. Her black gloves went up to just below her elbows. Somehow, they weren’t slipping down at all.

            She played with the tulle of the skirt before she got bored and decided to get out of the chair. She twirled in her newly found ball gown as she made her way into the darkness ahead. Stopping, she saw that new lights were dimming up before her. They looked like souls, but the elegant flames were held captive on long candlesticks.

            The room soon became more noticeable. Instead of it being a music room, as Sakura had initially imagined, it was a library. There was a desk, shelves filled with books, and there were some books that scattered the floor. The jazz music, the record player, and the recliner were now gone, in the darkness behind her.

            Sakura had a difficult time getting around all of the books with her big poufy dress in the way. She tripped on a book or two before finding a young man in a book heap behind the desk.

            It was Syaoran, with a book over his face.

            “Li?” Sakura whispered. She looked around before taking the book off his eyes and saying his name again softly. He jolted awake, sitting upright on the uncomfortable pile. He was wearing a suit…or at least most of a suit.

            It was a black pinstripe piece, with a red dress shirt and black tie. He wore the pinstripe vest and pants. All he was missing was the jacket that was lying on the desk. Syaoran finally stood up and brushed himself off.

            “What are you doing here?” Syaoran asked, nervously.

            “I’m not sure,” Sakura replied, “We were battling those cards. Then, suddenly, I’m in a music room, and then I’m here.”

            Syaoran looked over at the jacket on the desk and decided to grab it.

            “I suppose we should investigate a little,” he said, straightening his newfound jacket. Sakura came over and straightened the rest of his suit.

            “I suppose so,” she answered cheerfully. She grabbed his hand, and they walked onward into the darkness. She couldn’t see Syaoran rather red face, as they continued holding hands.

            “Oh right, you don’t like to be touched. Sorry!”

            Sakura let go of Syaoran’s hand, and the warmth of her hand went with it. Despite being less uncomfortable, Syaoran someone felt disappointed, for reasons he wasn’t sure of.

            A mirror wall appeared between the two of them. Sakura was drawn to going on one side, while Syaoran went on the other. Sakura could hear the clacking of shoes, both of Syaoran’s and her own. She didn’t remember ever putting on shoes, but she looked at her feet in the mirror to see new, black, strap-on pumps. They made tiny clacks, acting as a treble sound to the bass of Syaoran’s clacking dress shoes.

            Noticing this, Sakura began stepping into a rhythm. Her feet clacked on the tile as she twirled around with her steps, like she was doing a tap dance. If Syaoran had noticed, he didn’t say anything. However, his steps sounded as if he was doing the same thing.

            They continued this song of clacking feet as their reflections moved to the beat of their moves. Soon, the mirror ended, and Sakura turned to find Syaoran, but he wasn’t there.

            Now there was only silence and darkness surrounding Sakura. The mirrors were gone. Sakura felt her feet starting to hurt, so she took off her shoes to feel the cold tile below her.

            She took a few more steps to see cherry blossoms petals falling into her field of vision. The danced around her like snowflakes, as she came in sight of a cherry blossom tree. A woman in a violet kimono with a butterfly-like obi was standing under it, her black hair blowing in the breeze that came from some world beyond theirs. It was Yuuko Ichihara.

            “Miss Yuuko?” Sakura called out. Yuuko turned around to face her and smiled.

            “It’s good to see you, Sakura.”

            “Where am I?”

            “A dream.”

            “A…dream?”

            “It is an old one, being watched by a friendly spirit.”

            Yuuko reached around the tree and grabbed a person’s hand. It was a woman, her eyes covered by a strange hat. Her outfit had strong elbows and covered her body modestly. Sakura couldn’t describe it. It was otherworldly.

            “This is DREAM,” Yuuko stated. The woman bowed to Sakura, and Sakura bowed back.

            “She guards this realm of dreams, and it is her duty to give people visions of what they want most as they sleep. She wanted to meet you, and thus she created a dream so that you may do so.”

            The woman nodded in agreement.

            “You…want to be captured?” Sakura asked.

            The woman nodded again and suddenly started to speak. However, she never opened her mouth. It was as if this woman’s voice was inside Sakura’s head.

            “ _We all do. Some of us have forgotten, but some of us remember. We desire freedom._ ”

            “Wha…huh? Remember what? Freedom? Freedom from what?” Sakura stammered, not comprehending what this woman was saying.

            “ _You do not know yet, new and young Sakura, but soon, we shall all be free._ ”

            Sakura continued to stare in bewilderment.

            “ _You must free us from ourselves, young Sakura. We are souls yearning for rest. We were not all spirits of Clow before now. I was once like you: a precognitive dreamer. A young witch. But alas, I am but a ghost, cursed with power given by my former master._ ”

            “Wait…you…you were a person?”

            “ _Yes, young Sakura_.”

            “And I need to free you?”

            “ _Yes, but only once you’ve captured us all. Only then will your power awaken, and we will be free._ ”

            Sakura began to slowly comprehend what this spirit wanted. However, she still didn’t understand how this was possible, of if any of this was real. She noticed that the black in her dress was fading away and turning white.

            “ _I see you now have_ him.”

            Sakura turned where the woman was looking and jumped. Syaoran was next to her. He was no longer wearing a suit but a white kimono. His eyes were blank.

           “Li! Oh gosh, you scared me.”

           He didn’t answer.

           “Li?” Sakura enquired, as she waved a hand in front of his face.

           “He is in his own dream now. Part of his soul is drifting in and out of this space,” Yuuko explained.

           “Is it because he’s resonating with me?” Sakura asked.

           “Yes,” Yuuko nodded, and Syaoran’s sleeping form turned into a sword.

           “ _Thank you, young Sakura. As has been said before, by a girl who was once my master, I’m sure you’ll be alright._ ”

           With that, the woman turned into a golden soul before Sakura. She looked at Yuuko, perplexed.

           “Do what you need to do,” Yuuko told her, and she disappeared.

            Sakura chanted her spell, with Syaoran’s sword form in hand, and she woke up.

* * *

            Sakura sat up, sweat beads on her temples, as she took a few deep breaths. She saw something light up in her lap, on top of the covers. When she looked down, a Clow Card was there. It was the strange woman from her dreams. Sakura wasn’t sure how, but she and Syaoran caught a Clow spirit even in their sleep. It was labeled The DREAM.

            _You must free us from ourselves, young Sakura_ , the spirit had said. Sakura wasn’t sure how, but Clow trapped innocent soul to do his bidding. Her task was to free them. Releasing them didn’t seem plausible, as the spirits always went back into their card once a spell was finished. There was nothing in the book. Half of it was blank. She would have to ask Miss Yuuko, once she got back to school.

            She looked outside. Dawn was breaking. She saw the pinks and oranges of an early sunrise. Since yesterday was Saturday, Sakura knew she could talk with Miss Yuuko tomorrow, on Monday.

            Then, there was a knock on the door.

            “Sakura?”

            It was Syaoran.

            “Come in.”

            He was clad in a white undershirt and some plaid pajama pants.

            “I sense a spirit of Clow, somehow, and…”

            He stopped and looked out the window of Sakura’s room at the sun rising. He sat on the edge of the bed, both of them staring at the beauty ahead.

            “I had an interesting dream,” Sakura finally spoke.

            Syaoran turned to her.

            “It…got me a Clow Card,” she shrugged, and she waved the card she had in her hand.

            “You wha…?” Syaoran stammered, but then took the card and looked at the picture.

            “This woman…”

            “You saw her too, Li?”

            “Yeah, she…was speaking in my mind…telling me to wake up. And then, you were there, in some…black dress…”

            “It was a library. You were on a pile of books.”

            “Right. There was clacking. It was like…”

            “… A dance?”

            Syaoran’s cheeks pinked.

            “Yeah, well, I guess…the clacking was hypnotic for me, so the dream…kinda faded. I saw…a double of myself. Then he faded out. I saw the woman here, but the she was a golden light, and then she was gone.”

            “Sounds like we had the same dream, for the most part. Mine had a few more details, but…”

            “Did she say anything to you?”

            “Yeah, she said we needed to free the cards from themselves.”

            “What does that mean?”

            “I think she was saying that these spirits are souls being held against their will, somehow. She told me to free them.”

            “How?”

            “I don’t know.”

            Syaoran scooted closer and sat next to his new meister.

            “I’m going to ask Miss Yuuko on Monday. Maybe she’ll know. She… _was_ in my dream, so…”

            The sun rose, smiling perfect teeth and laughing towards the morning sky.

            “You know, I just realized,” Sakura said.

            “What’s that?” Syaoran asked.

            “When you knocked on the door…you…”

            Syaoran realized what she was talking about and his face went red.

            “You called me by my first name!” his meister squealed, hugging him tightly.

            “NO, wait…that was…I JUST…”

            “No, it made me really happy! Can I call you Syaoran now?”

            “Ye….Yeah, sure…”

            “HOORAY!”

            Sakura held him tighter, and they fell onto the mattress. However, realizing what she was doing, Sakura immediately let go. They lied on the mattress for a bit.

            “Sorry, I forgot,” Sakura apologized.

            “S’okay…”

            “We only have eight left.”

            “Yeah.”

            There was a calm silence. Syaoran looked over as Sakura was staring at him, an excited smile on her face. It felt surreal. He noticed how green her eyes were. He also noticed some longer hairs hanging in her face. He wanted to brush them aside, but…

            “So, today’s Sunday. Know what that means?” Sakura beamed.

            Syaoran had no reply, but Sakura sat up.

            “IT MEANS A BIG SUNDAY PANCAKE BREAKFAST!” she cheered, and Syaoran sat up, looking bewildered.

            “I’m gonna go get started, if you come in soon and help me! We need some cut-up strawberries. I’ve got some _blueberries_ we can use in some of the pancakes. Oh! And scrambled eggs! Or maybe some omelets. And BACON! Definitely bacon. What do you think we should do for the eggs?”

            Syaoran stared for a moment but soon answered.

            “Um…I can…do omelets….”

            “GREAT! I’ll get the stuff out!”

            She bolted out like a toddler on Christmas morning, in her pink sweatpants, with stars and moons on them. Syaoran slowly got up as he watched the energetic young lady fly through the fridge, grabbing eggs, berries, and an assortment of veggies and other goods. This must’ve been what she did with her family on Sunday mornings.

            Syaoran wasn’t used to this. His Sundays were usually trying to get Meiling up and eating a bowl of cereal before starting his homework. There was no _Sunday Pancake Breakfast_ or even cooking together. He wasn’t used to a girl being so chipper and happy. Something drew him to her, and he wasn’t sure why.

            However, it seemed to be something he could get used to. The corners of his mouth turned up in a small smile, and he went into the kitchen to help make omelets and pancakes.


	18. Spark

AN: Time passes. Spring and summer are now in session. Our kiddies will be fourteen. I should remember these poor kids’ birthdays. Also, I am SO sorry I put a meme in here. I REGRET NOTHING. _Anyone who spots it will be given a cookie._

* * *

            “You had a strange dream,” Yuuko stated as Sakura entered her office. She was sipping coffee and held a strange, long pipe in the same hand that held her mug. She held a pencil in the other hand, which was marking papers on a desk.

            “Yes…I…I wanted to talk to you about it,” Sakura stammered, perplexed that Yuuko knew.

            “I know what your dream was, dear Sakura. I was there.”

            “But…”

            “You saw me there, didn’t you?”

            “Yes, but…”

            “That was I.”

            “But, how…?”

            “Because dreams are all connected.”

            Sakura sat in a chair that Yuuko motioned to.

            “You’re curious about how to free these spirits?”

            “Yes.”

            “You must finish capturing the spirits of Clow first.”

            “But!”

            Yuuko stopped her.

            “The answers will come with the time is ready. You have blank pages in the Book of Clow, correct?”

            Sakura nodded.

            “When the time is right, those pages will no longer be blank. When that happens, I will tell you what you need to do.”

            Sakura looked at her knees, disappointed. Yuuko reached her hand out, taking her index finger and lifting Sakura’s chin so that their gazes met.

            “I am bound by these laws of time and space, my dear. I’m sorry I can’t tell you more. Rest assured, I will tell you, Sakura.”

            Yuuko moved closer.

            “Do you believe me?”

            Sakura felt she understood what Yuuko was saying, but she didn’t. Despite this growing fear, she decided to put her trust in this strange new teacher of hers. She nodded, and Yuuko smiled.

            “Good.”

            Yuuko backed away, going back to her desk, and picking up her pipe. Sakura decided to get up from the chair. However, Yuuko stopped her.

            “Is there anything else you’re wondering?”

            Sakura thought for a moment and then realized.

            “What does ‘precognitive’ mean?”

            Yuuko smiled.

            “It’s an adjective. It means ‘before thought,’ in it’s literal context. It refers to things that can see the future.”

            “So…she was saying that I could have dreams that predict the future?”

            “She was saying you already have the gift to predict the future through dreams.”

            Sakura stood still, about to fall into the chair.

            “Don’t fret over it too much, dear. It’s an ability that comes naturally to people who have it, like yourself.”

            “So, when I have a dream like that…”

            “…You’ll know. Would you like a sip?”

            Yuuko held out her mug of coffee.

            “It’s flavored with a gourmet creamer. I’m very particular.”

            Sakura took the mug and gave it a sip. It was sweet, sweeter than she imagined, since she wasn’t a big coffee drinker.

            “It’s good! What is it?” Sakura asked.

            “It’s coconut flavored creamer,” Yuuko answered with a grin, “I found it here, and I’ve immediately taken a liking to it.”

            Sakura handed Yuuko her mug back.

            “A good drink is good for the soul and clears a busy head. Take care of yourself, Sakura.”

            Sakura smiled and nodded. With a wave, she turned around and ran off to class. Yuuko set her mug down, taking an inhale of her pipe.

            “Soon, your powers will grow. I only hope that in doing so, you won’t go mad. Soon, Sakura, I will be able to grant your wish.”

* * *

            Time passed into spring. Sakura turned fourteen on April 1 st. The rest of the group followed suit. First was Meiling, on June 28 th. Syaoran celebrated with the group on July 13 th. Tomoyo celebrated hers when her mother came into town, on September 3 rd. Strangely, the spirits of Clow, even Clow Reed himself, didn’t appear for a while. Not until August.

            A wild, big cat made purely of lightening appeared. Its rampage caused an electrical storm throughout Death City. Unlike make other spirits, Sakura couldn’t get close to it. Holding Syaoran was like holding a giant lightening rod.

            So, Tomoyo came up with a solution. She got various pieces of rubber fabric and began sewing.

            Sakura sat at Meiling and Tomoyo’s apartment, looking over in curiosity.

            “What are you doing, Tomoyo?” Sakura asked.

            “I’m making us all rubber suits, of course!” Tomoyo chirped happily as she tied a knot in the thread. She cut it quickly and held up a very shiny-looking black and pink skirt.

            “Yeah, but…if you’re making a skirt…”

            “Oh, this is going to be yours!”

            “Well, I can tell by the pink, but…”

            “Sakura, trust me. It’s going to look fabulous on you!”

            “YOU SAID YOU COULD SEW QUICKLY!” Meiling cried, already in her fighting garments.

            “I am! I just want this to be perfect!”

            Tomoyo was already sewing the bodice to the skirt. Sakura looked on the table to see a round bell attached to a pink bow and a pair of black cat ears.

            “What are….”

            “Oh, don’t worry. Those are part of your costume too.”

            “COSTUME?!” Meiling huffed in, “THIS ISN’T HALLOWEEN, TOMOYO! WE JUST NEED A RUBBER JUMPSUIT!”

            “Oh, but that wouldn’t be nearly cute enough.”

            Syaoran came in with a plate of food to see that Sakura and Meiling were collapsed on the floor in defeat. Tomoyo was cheerfully humming a tune while sewing the bow onto the outfit.

            “ALL DONE!” she cheered, “Alright, Sakura, put this on. I need to work on Li’s matching outfit.”

            “Matching?” Syaoran frowned as he stared at the shiny black and pink tutu suit that Tomoyo was holding. Sakura slowly got up and went off to go change.

* * *

            “Who puts a bell on a costume like that?!” Meiling hissed.

            “It’s not a real bell, Meiling,” Tomoyo pouted, “It’s plastic. I made it.”

            “Yeah. Great. Put time into all of this flashy stuff and WE DON’T HAVE ANY RUBBER GEAR ON!”

            “You were the one telling us to get out the door because the spirit was coming.”

            Meiling’s face was steaming, her cheeks red with anger.

            “And now, Syaoran’s cooking’s going to get cold! Tsk tsk.”

            “I CANNOT BE _LIEVE_ WHERE YOUR PRIORITIES ARE!!!!”

            “It’s…It’s fine,” Syaoran tried easing Meiling, “I can easily heat it up later.”

            Sakura only stayed in front of them, crouched to the ground. She had on everything, from the poufy skirt to the big pink bow and cat ears. All of it was rubber. There were sleeves and legging pieces that were all black. Her shoes were some sort of variation of 1900s button-up shoes.

            While it was all rubber, it wasn’t uncomfortable. Thankfully, Tomoyo thought ahead, making a comfortable shirt and pant set that fit snuggly underneath all of the fabric. Sadly, with it being summer, Sakura felt like she was in a sauna. Her face was beet red out of pure heat build-up.

            Taking a deep breath, Sakura hissed at her comrades to get over to where she was crouching. They ceased their arguments and huddled over. Over the edge of the roof they were on, the electrical creature was crunching down on some metal trashcans, as if they were rawhides or bones.

            Tomoyo couldn’t help be squeal to herself, and she got out a camcorder.

            “The hell did that come from?” Meiling spun around to look at her new weapon in horror.

            “I’ve always had this camera,” Tomoyo shrugged as she recorded the giant cat playing with the trashcans.

            “Well, maybe you can do this sort of shit _later_!”

            “You are really in a mood, tonight! I came out here to have a good time, and I’m _honestly_ feeling very attacked right now.”

            “OH MY GOD, REALLY?!”

            The creature stopped playing with the trashcans and looked at the arguing group.

            “Ummm…guys?” Sakura pointed.

            Syaoran transformed immediately.

            “Seriously, the priority you put on this capturing cards thing is astounding,” Meiling groaned.

            “Do you think I _want_ to collect these spirits?! I’m some tool for Clow Reed! I don’t want to do any of that!”

            “Then what the HELL are we here for?!”

            “We're here to make sure they have help!”

            “Oh, well, we’re doing a bang-up jo—”

            “DUCK!”

            Sakura grabbed them as they fell off the roof. The electrical creature jumped towards them and landed on the roof where they originally stood.

            “WINDY!” Sakura shouted.

            The team was now safely on the ground with the torn-up trashcans. Tomoyo immediately transformed. The sealing wand was not in Meiling’s grasp.

            “Seriously, Tomoyo, try to stay focused, okay?”

            “Meiling, I _was_ focused!”

            “No, you weren’t!”

            “I would’ve been more focused if you didn’t start arguing with me about my camcorder!”           

            “AND WHOSE FAULT IS THAT?!”

            “Guys, can we fight about this later?” Sakura pleaded. The creature seemed ready to challenge them.

            Sakura began running. Meiling followed suit. This probably wasn’t the best solution, as the creature began to chase them.

            “What do we do?” Syaoran echoed from the blade of his weapon form.

            “We need to trap him in the open, somehow, but I don’t know what to use!”

            Meiling ran over to a tree on the side of the road they were on, and the creature shout lightening from its mouth at them. It hit the tree, only to catch the large perennial plant on fire. The foliage began to fall, to which Tomoyo transformed back into a human, shielding Meiling from the flames that fell.

            “TOMOYO!” Sakura cried, as she ran over to them. Syaoran changed into his human form, grabbing a piece of spell paper.

            “SPIRITS OF FIRE, ANSWER MY CALL!”

            Flames appeared, but instead of creating more, Syaoran inhaled the fiery inferno surrounding the two girls, and the large branch on top of them only gave off smoke. Syaoran then breathed the fire towards the lightening creature, scaring it off for a short moment.

            “Are you guys alright?” Sakura cried, tending to the girls. Their clothes were singed, and ashes and small burns were visible on their skin. Thankfully, they were okay for the moment. The creature rounded towards them again, now enraged. It spat a spark of lighting towards them. This time, Syaoran shielded them, pushing Sakura out of the way.

            The lightening struck him in the back, electrical currents flowing through his body. He fell to the ground convulsing from the shock waves.

            “SYAORAN!” Sakura and Meiling screamed.

            “Li!” Tomoyo cried. They only got shocked when they touched him.

            The creature fired a spark again. This time, it was at Sakura. Before anyone could react, Sakura shielded her face, bracing for the attack.

            It hit her, and she fell to the ground. However, she didn’t start having convulsions. Her rubber costume showed visible signs of static, as she got up and touched the tree. There was a small spark, but it only hurt Sakura for a brief moment before all of the shock from the suit absorbed into the tree.

            With this, Sakura thought up an idea.

            “Tomoyo, what else is a conductor besides rubber and plastic?!”

            Tomoyo jumped in surprise, but then she thought for a moment.

            “Oh…well, there’s wood—”

            The idea hit Tomoyo too. Sakura reached out her hand and Tomoyo transformed as her weapon partner once more. With the sealing wand in hand, Sakura grabbed the card she wanted and cast her spell.

            “ _Cage this creature in its place. Let it meet your warm embrace! WOOD!_ ”

            The WOOD created a cage around the creature. As it tried to spark at the branches, it only slowly set the wood aflame. Quickly, the sealing wand turned into a scythe. With a jump and a slash, Sakura cut through the electric creature and it’s woodland prison. The WOOD returned to its card, and the creature was now a golden bauble that sparked before them. They returned it to the form it was meant to be, and the picture of the electric lion creature appeared on the blank card. It’s name read, strangely, The THUNDER.

            “My, my,” Tomoyo shook her head, “You would think a powerful sorcerer would get his use of words correctly.”

            Sakura ran over to Meiling and a lightening-stricken Syaoran.

            “I’m…f-f-f-f-fine…” he stuttered.

            “NO YOU AREN’T!” Meiling cried, her eyes filled with tears, “WILL YOU JUST SHUT UP FOR A SEC?!”

            Sakura’s eyes shifted back and forth in a panic. She looked at The THUNDER, her brows furrowing into creases on her forehead. She took out The WOOD.

            “I’m sorry for getting you caught on fire,” she told the spirit, “You did great.”

            There was a noise that sounded like bells ringing, as the card floated out of Sakura’s grasp and back into it again. She smiled and put the card away.

            “Hello, THUNDER,” she told the spirit sternly. There was a soft roaring noise that responded.

            “You did a terrible thing to my partner _and_ my friend. You need to apologize.”

            There was a louder roar in protest.

            “I know he scared you with fire, but you nearly killed my friends!”

            The roars were softer and sadder now. Meiling and Tomoyo only stared, perplexed.

            “If you do this spell with me, I _might_ be able to forgive you. Fair?”

            There was a soft roar in response.

            “Good.”

            Sakura put the card to her lips and then touched the top edge onto Syaoran’s hand.

            “ _Oh Beast of Thunder and Lightening, heal my friend. Absorb your power from this vessel, and make him whole again._ ”

            An electrical current escaped from Syaoran’s arm and into the long, rectangular piece of cardboard and plastic. When the sparks ceased, Sakura lifted the card from Syaoran’s arm, and he was no longer shaking.

            “Thank you, THUNDER,” Sakura smiled, and a soft purr called back to her as she put the card away.

            Syaoran’s head rested peacefully in Meiling lap, as she began weeping. Sakura seemed concerned, as did Tomoyo.

            “I…hate this,” Meiling sobbed.

            Tomoyo took a handkerchief out of her pocket and handed it to her.

            “What do you hate, Meiling?” Tomoyo asked sincerely.

            “I HATE BEING THE HUMAN HERE!”

            Everyone fell silent.

            “I CAN’T DO ANYTHING! I CAN’T DO SPELLS, OR TURN INTO STUFF, OR EVEN COOK FOR GOD’S SAKE! I CAN’T EVEN PROTECT MY COUSIN ANYMORE! I JUST SIT HERE AND WATCH HIM GROW AND SUFFER, AND I’M NO DIFFERENT FROM HOW I EVEN STARTED! I GO MAKE ONE PARTNER UPSET, AND HERE I AM ARGUING WITH MY NEW PARTNER! I HATE THIS! I HATE MYSELF! I…AAAAUUUGGHHHH….”

            Meiling collapsed her face into her hands, covering it with the handkerchief. No one knew what to say until Syaoran got up off of Meiling’s lap and sat up. She looked up at her cousin, who was looking at her with sadness in his eyes.

            To everyone’s surprise, Syaoran hugged her. Meiling didn’t really hug him back at first. She just sat there stunned.

            “Thank you…for being here for me, Meiling,” he told her, “You’ve always been there. And, I can promise you, that’s been better than…any magic or…weapon ability anyone else can have. You’re the closest family to me. That’s more than enough.”

            Meiling began sobbing into Syaoran’s shoulder. Sakura and Tomoyo rested a hand on both of Meiling’s shoulders as she let out more tears. When she finished crying, they got up and started walking home.

            “I hate getting into these moods…” Meiling mumbled, sneezing into Tomoyo’s handkerchief.

            “Let’s go back to our place and heat up Syaoran’s cooking,” Tomoyo suggested, “It can be a little sleepover!”

            “Will we even be able to do that?” Sakura thought aloud.

            “Well, we have some extra pillows and blankets, and I can fit two people on _my_ bed, if we need to,” Tomoyo added.

            “Oh I see,” Meiling muttered.

            “What?”

            “You’re luring your girl crush over here, aren’t you?” Meiling pointed to Sakura, who blushed at the implication.

            “Oh no, no! I would never,” Tomoyo waved off, “No, we’ve slept in the same bed, but I wasn’t suggesting that for Sakura and I…”

            “Alright…” Meiling wasn’t convinced, but she continued listening.

            “I was thinking more for…Syaoran over there, as he lures Sakura into his clutches.”

            Sakura only looked confused, but Syaoran was a red, stammering mess.

            “THAT’S…NO! THAT’S NOT—” Syaoran began.

            “Or maybe,” Tomoyo interrupted, leaning over to Meiling, “I could snag _you_ into my room for the night!”

            Meiling turned beet red and started blubbering out an answer.

            “Just kidding!” Tomoyo winked, wiggling her eyebrows in a suggestive yet teasing manner. She ran off laughing as a now flustered and angry Meiling chased her down the street. Sakura giggled as the red cooled down in Syaoran’s face.

            “Tomoyo’s become much more of a joker lately!” she said.

            “Was she not always like that?” Syaoran asked.

            “Well, only a little, but she’s become more mischievous, I guess, after…she confessed to me.”

            “Maybe she’s becoming more comfortable around other people.”

            “I think that’s close, but not exact. I think she’s…just showing a new side of herself she didn’t want people to see. She’s always been very mature and calm. It’s…nice seeing her be more carefree in one way or another.”

            Sakura smiled to herself, and Syaoran stared at her, trying to guess what she was thinking. He wasn’t sure if she liked Tomoyo in a different way, but he got more of an impression of how close of friends they were.

            “Although…” Sakura continued after a long pause, “I wonder why Tomoyo thought you were trying to ‘lure me into your clutches’ or something.”

            Even though Sakura giggled, Syaoran turned red all over again.

            “Why _would_ she think that, I wonder?” Sakura asked herself out loud.

            “I don’t know…” he answered honestly. He really wasn’t sure. He only saw this girl as a friend, as a partner in crime. He only found her cute because of hormones. It was all brain chemicals. At least, that’s what he kept telling himself for the longest time.

* * *

            Sakura and Tomoyo ended up sharing the bed, and Syaoran got the couch. While it wasn’t as nice as his bed, he made due. After a hectic day, he drifted into a deep sleep.

            While he didn’t dream very often, he did have the repeated dream of meeting his doppelganger with the blue right eye. This one, however, was different.

            There was checkerboard tile on the floor. He sat in a leather recliner with a record player next to him and a book in his hand. He wore a black pinstripe suit with a red dress shirt and a black tie.

            This didn’t feel like a world that fit him very well until he looked up. He saw the library. It was bigger this time, with books strewn all over the floor. The record played a jazz tune he wasn’t familiar with.

            “You like books, don’t you?” a voice whispered next to him.

            He jumped to see his doppelganger next to him, wearing a matching pinstripe suit. Even in the warm, dim lighting, Syaoran could still see the copy’s ice blue eye.

            “What is that?” Syaoran asked with confusion.

            “A scrap,” his copy answered.

            “Scrap?”

            “A scrap space left over from some other guy’s mind. It’s been…tidied up to fit what your mind’s like.”

            Syaoran looked around, still sitting in the chair. Then, the doppelganger got too close for comfort in Syaoran’s face. His hands leaned on the arms of the recliner as he tilted forward. Syaoran tried to absorb his back into the back of the chair to no avail.

            “How is she?”

            Syaoran raised an eyebrow.

            “The princess…”

            “The who?”

            “Your meister, as your world calls it.”

            “Oh…well…she’s okay, I guess.”

            “You need to give me better answers than that. Does she remember anything?”

            “Remember?”

            “Remember me…and you…us…”

            Syaoran pushed him away. This guy’s breath smelled like coal fumes from a furnace fire.

            “You’re part of my brain, right? So…don’t make up bullshit like lost memories or some crap.”

            “Oh, but you _don’t_ remember.”

            “Remember what?”

            “Me.”

            “No, I don’t know you. But, I’m guessing that you’re…me?”

            “I am yet I’m not.”

            “You’re…not me…”

            “But I also am you.”

            “So you _are_ me.”

            “But not.”

            “No?”

            “Yes.”

            “…”

            “And no.”

            Syaoran put his face into his hands.

            “Please just…tell me who you are.”

            “I just did.”

            “In SIMPLER terms, please.”

            “I don’t know what could possibly be more simple.”

            Syaoran grimaced, and the doppelganger cleared his throat.

            “I am you…from a past existence.”

            Syaoran raised an eyebrow.

            “I’m afraid that’s the best answer I can give you.”

            Syaoran could feel the front of his head throbbing. The copy walked behind the chair and handed Syaoran a book. It had the picture of a cherry blossom cutout on it.

            “What is…”

            “It’s what the princess dreams.”

            Syaoran looked at it with distrust, but opened it. Winds swirled around him as he stood up and the library around him vanished, leaving only darkness.

            There was Tomoyo, in a pool of blood. Sakura was in tears, her chest forming a gaping wound and bleeding. Maka Albarn-Evans caught her. A hooded man with a golden scythe raised his blade. Syaoran saw a sun symbol on the rod. It looked like Clow Reed’s staff.

            The sun.

            The blade came down and hacked into his right eye. The pain was so sharp and so real that Syaoran woke in an instant. He didn’t know why, but his hand was over his eye, and it was throbbing.

            He didn’t want to go back to sleep.


	19. Forget

AN: Since we’re down to the more powerful cards, the time is getting close. I take no credit for the song used in this. It’s a traditional Japanese folk song. Syaoran needs to see a doctor about that eye of his.

* * *

            “There appears to be no damage. It’s just shock from that dream you had.”

            The school’s doctor took the light away from Syaoran’s right eye as a woman in back and gold with an eye patch came over. She whipped her golden hair away from her face and handed Syaoran a sheet of paper.

            “Here’s your slip to give you your teacher,” she smiled. She turned over her shoulder to see a small child fishing through a jar of lollipops.

            “IZZY, NO! THOSE ARE FOR PATIENTS!” she wailed, taking the jar away from the small girl. She had golden hair and gray eyes. There was a stitch mark at the bottom of her neck and a small one on her face. The doctor noticed Syaoran staring at them.

            “The one on her make was from tonsils. The cheek one was from an earlier age, when I was…curious.”

            Syaoran looked at the doctor horrified.

            “Oh don’t worry. I would never dream of intentionally hurting my little girl,” the doctor assured, “I just…have a habit of experimenting. I have gotten better, haven’t I, Marie?”

            He turned to the woman with the eyepatch and the little girl sitting in her lap.

            “You have, Frank,” she nodded, “These scars aren’t as bad as they are on Stella. You cut her open like a frog!”

            “Ah, yes, our first daughter…” the doctor looked up fondly, “She likes showing it to her friends now. She also has a very curious eye for science…like me.”

            The doctor looked at a now frightened Syaoran through his large, round spectacles. The young weapon noticed a large stitch scar going across his face, his eyes drowsy and grey.

            “Sorry. You can go ahead and leave. You’re fine.”

            Syaoran got off the check up table.

            “How long have you been here, son?” the doctor asked.

            “Since…last September…” Syaoran answered quietly.

            “Funny…I thought I would’ve seen you. … Your meister now is the cute girl with the short hair and the green eyes, right?”

            Syaoran didn’t answer. He just glared suspiciously at the doctor.

            “I’ll take that protective stare as a yes. Take care of yourself as you do with her, okay?”

            Syaoran relaxed a little but raced out of the office. The doctor took out a piece of gum and started to chew.

            “Are you okay?” Marie asked, little Izzy hugging her tightly.

            “There’s a madness building in that boy, like Sakura’s previous partner,” he answered.

            “The girl in the cell with the dark hair?”

            “Yes. His isn’t as prominent as hers. It’s going to build over time. I just hope he finds some solace in that girl.”

            “His meister, right? I’ve met her. She’s a sweet girl.”

            “Is she?”

            “Yes. Her wavelength gives off that calming sensation.”

            “An anti-demon wavelength…just as Maka described to me. Interesting.”

            His back made a small crack in it. He cursed under his breath so his daughter couldn’t hear. He grabbed the large screw on the side of his head and began to twist. His spine slowly straightened with every twist. As he cracked his back and sighed, he sat down in his rolling chair, his leg twitching.

            “You want to smoke, don’t you?” Marie smirked.

            “The gum helps. I don’t wanna do it around the kids. Not good for those fresh lungs, you know.”

            The two smiled at each other, and the doctor took the clipboard from his desk.

            “Stein, you’ve got a broken arm in the next room,” Nygus called as she walked swiftly into the doctor’s office. He sighed and spat out the gum.

            “Here,” Marie handed her husband a lollipop. Stein smiled and took it, popping the red hard candy in his mouth.

            “NOT FOR YOU, STEIN! THE PATIENT!”

            Izzy giggled as her mad scientist and doctor of a father trotted happily away.

* * *

            Syaoran’s eye stopped throbbing soon after. He focused on the main objective. Capturing whatever this hooded figure was in from of Sakura and him.

            It transformed into shadows and scattered around in the darkness again. Sakura was getting frustrated. She adjusted her costume, one that Tomoyo made herself. It was another poufy number, and thankfully not in rubber: puffed up bloomer shorts, a heart-themed bodice that overlapped on top of it, a headband with two large hearts on the side. All of it was pink and white, which were Sakura’s favorite colors. It was much lighter and easier to run in, thankfully. Sakura didn’t even want to know how Tomoyo managed finding matching shoes for the ridiculous thing.

            “We need a more open space,” Sakura thought out loud.

            “Yeah…” Syaoran agreed.

            Using JUMP, she hopped her way to a large cul-de-sac, surrounded in street lamps.

            “I’m going to try THUNDER again,” Sakura told her partner, pulling a card out of her pocket. Sakura was thrilled with this addition to the outfit. Calling out THUNDER, the beast struck all of the street lamps, making them blindingly bright. The shadows came out again, forming themselves into the shadowy figure from before.

            “ _SWORD!_ ”

            Instead of changing her weapon, which was moot in any case, the spirit only wrapped itself around the silver blade of Syaoran’s sword form. He felt almost sharper and newer than beforehand. Sakura stabbed the hooded figure, trapping it. When Sakura released her blade, The SWORD took it’s place, keeping the hooded figure where it was. With this, Sakura was able to reap and capture The SHADOW. The SWORD returned to its card, and Syaoran returned to his human formed.

            “IT WORKED!” Sakura cheered.

            “Yeah, … but what made you think of that idea?” Syaoran questioned.

            “I dunno…” Sakura admitted, “I just followed my intuition, I suppose. Although…it was more like…a voice in the back of my head rather than a gut feeling.”

            Syaoran looked concerned.

            “It’s strange,” Sakura went on, “It sounded a lot like my own voice.”

            Syaoran thought back to the doppelganger from his dreams.

            “Well…whatever,” Sakura shrugged, “It’s no big deal. Let’s go home.”

* * *

            It was a strange sensation. There were silk sheets and dim lights, sparks flying through every nerve of her body. She felt a warm, soft body on top of hers. She couldn’t tell if it was a boy or a girl, but it felt right. It felt safe.

            There was a pulse in her abdomen. She felt the sparks in her nerves setting her whole body ablaze. She was going over the edge.

            Sakura awoke very frustrated and confused.

* * *

            “Hello!”

           A few days later, a girl greeted Touya at the front of his apartment building. She was ten. Her hair was short and auburn, and her eyes were green. She wore a Tomoeda elementary school uniform: a black and white sailor fuku with a red stripe accent on the tie and the sailor collar. She had the white hat on as well.

          Touya stared, horrified, at this spitting image of his sister when she was ten years old.

          “Who the hell are you?” he choked. The girl frowned, looking hurt.

          “Don’t you remember me? I’m the spirit…from the forest? I…look like your sister, right?”

          “My sister is fourteen, and there’s not a forest anywhere here. What the hell are you talking about?”

          “She was sick…and snuck out. You took care of me in her place, but you knew…you knew I wasn’t her. You recognized me…”

          “I don’t know what you’re going on about, but I don’t know you,” Touya growled.

          “I’ve…upset you, somehow…oh, right. It’s because I look like your sister, isn’t it? Don’t worry. She’s not dead. She’s fine!”

          “What do you mean? What have you done with my sister?!”

          The girl looked like she was in pain now. She slumped her head down and started to cry.

          “What did you do?” Touya repeated, “Where’s my sister?”

          “He said you’d remember,” she sobbed, “He promised you would remember. He lied…no…he lied to me!”

          Touya took the girl by the shoulders.

          “Who’s he?! What’s going on here?!”

          “ **HE LIED TO ME!!!!!!** ”

          The girl’s disguise melted away. She glowed a blue-greenish light and became a sort of shrine maiden spirit with long hair. A mirror hung around her neck. She started to float, and she grabbed Touya by his shirt collar.

          “ **WHY DON’T YOU REMEMBER ME?! YOU’RE SUPPOSED TO REMEMBER ME!!!!** ”

          “BIG BROTHER!” Sakura shouted, and she leaped into the air, grabbing Touya and bringing him to the ground.

          “ **GIVE HIM BACK!!! I NEED HIM TO REMEMBER!!! GIVE HIM BACK!!!** ”

          Sakura got up and stood in front of her brother protectively. The glowing girl gasped as she saw Sakura’s face.

          “ **My….MY…MY MASTER…** ” she choked, and she floated down to meet Sakura directly. Sakura looked confused.

          “ **Surely you must remember! You were there! You were angry for me hurting your brother! You made me a copy of yourself and snuck out when you were sick! You sensed Clow Reed…before he came here!** ”

           Sakura shook her head, perplexed. The girl looked horrified.

           “ **You…don’t remember? Tomoeda? The Clow Cards? Nothing?** ”

           “I…don’t know what you’re talking about,” Sakura admitted, “Tomoeda…The spirits of Clow haven’t been to Tomoeda. Unless…”

           “ **Yes? Yes, when you were ten?** ”

           “When I was ten…” Sakura shook her head once more, “I was just…going to school like normal. There…were no spirits of Clow. Or Clow Cards…”

            At this, the girl began to wail. She collapsed to the ground in a fit of tears.

            “Oh no…please don’t cry!” Sakura pleaded, “It’s alright.”

            “ **YOU DON’T REMEMBER US! HOW CAN YOU SET US FREE IF YOU DON’T EVEN REMEMBER US?! WE’RE DOOMED! I’M GOING TO WALLOW IN THIS FORM FOREVER!** ”

            The girl looked at Touya. Her eyes filled with more tears.

            “ **I CAN’T EVEN LOVE LIKE THIS! I CAN’T GO ON! NO! _NOOOOOO!!!!_** ”

            She began grow shards of mirrors out of her body. Her body bled a black-like substance as more shards grew. She encased herself in these shards until all that could be seen was broken reflections of Sakura, Syaoran in his weapon form, and Touya. Black ooze leaked through the cracks. When Sakura tried to get close, one of the shards cut her.

            “ **NOOOOO! MASTER CLOW!!! PLEASE, IT HURTS! MAKE IT STOP! THE BLACK BLOOD!!! IT’S HURTING ME!!! NOO!!! STOP!!!** ”

             Sakura started to tear up as she used The SWORD as she did before, strengthening Syaoran’s blade so as to cut through anything. She wanted to cut through to this poor girl She wanted to cut away her suffering.

            “ **PLEASE SAVE ME! GOD, I CAN’T STOP THE BLEEDING!!! IT HURTS! SAKURA!!! MY MASTER!!! PLEASE, WHERE ARE YOU?! WHY DID YOU LEAVE ME ALL ALONE LIKE THIS??!!! IT HURTS!!! IT HURTS!!!!** ”

             Sakura sliced through the shards, and they scattered everywhere. The girl was lying on the shards that were left, some of them coming through her stomach and limbs. She was crying the black ooze now, what this girl called _black blood_.

             Sakura stepped closer and raised her weapon above her head. The girl continued to weep as she opened her eyes. Sakura was now crying. She brought her sword down.

             “Sakura?” Syaoran’s voice echoed, “Are you okay?”

             “I can’t do it,” she whimpered, “She looks so miserable. I don’t want her memory to be…this…before I reap her.”

             “She’s still a spirit of Clow,” Syaoran told her gently.

             “I know. I just…want her to be at peace somehow.”

             Sakura wiped her face, small cuts from the mirror shards stinging her arms. She pulled a card out of her leather holster, which now hung on her waist.

             “ _SONG, give this spirit a melody from her memories._ ”

             A young woman spirit appeared, her ears covered by pieces that looked like treble clefs. A sweet violin began to play out of nowhere. A soft, Oriental-like piece began to play, and the spirit began to sing.

            “ _Sakura sakura / noyama mo sato mo / mi-watasu kagiri / kasumi ka kumo ka / asahi ni niou / sakura sakura / hana zakari…_ ”

            Tears of black blood still flowed from the girl’s eyes, but she was now smiling. The SONG rested her hand on the girl’s head, stroking her hair. The girl shut her eyes as the singing continued.

            “ _Sakura sakura / yayoi no sora wa / mi-watasu kagiri / kasumi ka kumo ka / nioi zo izuru / izaya izaya / mini yukan._ ”

            The girl turned gold and swirled around until she was a golden soul, ready to be sealed away. The SONG took the soul and brought it over to Sakura before returning to its card. Sakura sealed the spirit, and a beautiful picture of the young girl appeared on the card. Her title read The MIRROR.

            Syaoran returned to his human form and checked Sakura’s arms. They were slightly bleeding. Touya smacked him away.

            “Kiddo, you okay?” he asked.

            “I’m alright,” she sighed, “I’m glad she’s more at peace now.”

            “Seems to me you’re caring about these things like they’re people.”

            “I know they’re spirits, but they _used_ to be people. I got that strong impression especially from her.”

            “What was that song?” Syaoran asked.

            “It’s a traditional Japanese folk song, I think. I remember learning it a little in my elementary music classes.”

            “What was she talking about anyways? About you or your brother not remember her?”

            “I…don’t know. I feel kinda bad though.”

            Sakura tapped the edge of the card to her lips, trying to think. Then, her brother ruffled her hair.

            “Don’t worry about it, kiddo. Whatever’s going on, that spirit girl’s gotta figure out herself. Right now, let’s get you some first aid.”

            Sakura nodded. She got up, and all three of them went into Touya’s apartment building. Two young, dark-haired girls followed them in. When Sakura turned around, she saw it was Tomoyo and Meiling.

            “Oh good, you’re here!” Sakura chirped.

            “Yep,” Tomoyo grinned, “And I got it all on video!”

            Sakura nearly fell over.

            “Of all the captures to tape, THIS is the one you got in full?” Meiling said, shaking her head.

            “Well, I mostly got the song bit. It was just lovely!”

            Tomoyo showed them the footage as Syaoran bandaged Sakura up with the first-aid kit, much to Touya’s annoyance. To Tomoyo’s dismay, it didn’t capture the sound.

* * *

            Sakura was having her dream again: Tomoyo in a pool of blood, a gaping hole in her own chest, Mrs. Albarn-Evans holding her tightly as the golden scythe came down upon them.

            Then, something changed. Sakura opened her eyes to see a figure in a pink and purple dress…or maybe it was a kimono. The figure had stopped the golden scythe with her hand, as if time stood still. Her hair looked exactly like Sakura’s from the back.

            With one swift movement, the hooded figure no longer had the scythe in his hands, and it was now in the mysterious woman’s hands instead.

            “This is not your weapon to command,” she said, and the hooded figure finally began to take off his hood.

            It was a man, with deep blue eyes and small, circular spectacles. His hair was long, and was slicked back in a ponytail that lay limp on his right shoulder. His black cloak began showing an astrological design, with dark blues, oranges and yellows. He had a gentle smile on his face.

            “We meet again,” he said to the woman in front of him.

            “It’s been a while, Clow Reed,” she replied.

            “You’ve become quite the magician.”

            “The most powerful magician in the world, as you put it.”

            “You’re breaking the rules now, aren’t you? It’s fascinating, isn’t it? To play with the fabric of space and time.”

            “I need a wish granted, and it involves getting rid of you.”

            “Oh my! Whatever do you mean?”

            “I’ll never forgive you for what you’ve done.”

            “I’ve done nothing wrong.”

            “YOU’VE PLAYED A GOD! YOU’VE TOYED WITH PEOPLE’S LIVES! _MY_ LIFE!”

            “I was only fulfilling my wish.”

            “AND NOW PEOPLE ARE DEAD! THEY’RE ALL DEAD BECAUSE OF YOU! EVEN…”

            “Even your most precious person? Is that it? You’re going to blame his death on me?”

            The woman looked away, gritting her teeth. Then she softened her gaze, turning it to Sakura, whose jaw nearly dropped when she saw the woman’s face.

            It was a spitting image of Sakura as an adult. The auburn hair, the green eyes…everything. Her gaze was sad as she looked at the young meister. She then looked at a bleeding Tomoyo and knelt down beside her.

            “Both of them: My most…precious person, and…my dear friend. I won’t let you do that here,” she addressed Clow Reed. He only chuckled.

            “The only reason these children die is because of _your_ selfish wish to get rid of me!”

            “You were coming here, whether I made that wish or not!” she shouted, “You’re the result of _that man’s_ sins!”

            “He was a failure to me.”

            “It won’t matter, once you’re gone! KERO!”

            The golden scythe began to morph into a new shape. Before Sakura could see what it was, the light blinded her and she woke up.


	20. Inferno

AN: I’m on a roll. We’re so close, you guys. Let’s see if we can finish this card catching game and then get to some meta stuff. I do like me some meta. Shameless fanservice works too.

* - I don’t think this counts as good use of the English language

* * *

            Kero was sitting with a big piece of cheesecake in front of him. He was taking it all in. Sakura had told him that her dream had changed. He wasn’t sure what to make of it. On one hand, it could be a good thing. Sakura had five souls left to capture, and the changes could be reflecting on the rewards of her success.

            He was hoping that Tomoyo dying and Sakura with a chest wound would be the things that changed as Sakura collected more cards. However, those things stayed the same. He didn’t know what the existence of another Sakura could mean. He didn’t know why he was the golden scythe in her dream. He was sure he didn’t have that ability.

           “What are you thinking, Kero-chan?” Sakura asked, as she took a bite of her own piece of cheesecake. It was a gourmet one, with caramel swirl and a toffee flavor to it. Sakura had taken her allowance and gone to the new Cheesecake Factory in Death City.

           “I don’t know,” Kero answered, shaking his head, “I’ll have to think over it more.”

           He finally picked up the fork that was much too big for him and took a bite of cheesecake. His thoughts settled, and he enjoyed the decadent pastry.

           “We’ve got five cards left, don’t we?” Sakura added.

           “That ya’ do! We need FIREY, EARTHY, DARK, LIGHT, and um…VOID.”

            I’m so excited! Aren’t _you_ , Syaoran?”

            Syaoran walked into the living room and joined the small huddle with his own piece of cheesecake. He nodded in reply, and Sakura smiled.

            “I still can’t believe her partner is now _you_ ,” Kero grumbled, taking another bite of cheesecake. Syaoran only glared at him.

            “Don’t you start, Kero,” Sakura huffed, “It’ll be temporary, and then Tomoyo will be back in the dorm. You’ll see!”

            Syaoran looked down at his plate. Sakura noticed the sad look on his face.

            “Oh no! No, it’s not that I’m trying to kick you out or anything! I’m sorry, Syaoran! No, you’re a great roommate. Really.”

            “Thanks,” he smiled slightly. He felt confused. For some reason, the idea of leaving the apartment made him sad. It wasn’t like he was particularly close to her, but somehow the idea of being away from her seemed…wrong.

            Sakura was fidgeting. She was trying to find words to make Syaoran feel better but failing miserably. When he noticed, he sighed.

            “It’s not you, Sakura. It’s…um…you’re a…great roommate as well.”

            Sakura perked up and giggled a little. The awkward aura in the air dissipated. Kero merely frowned.

            “Ugh…I’m taking my cheesecake away from this lovey dovey bologna.”

            He picked up his plate and fork, hoisting it over his head like a holy offering, and flew into the kitchen.

            “Why does everyone keep assuming that?” Sakura wondered aloud. Syaoran rest his head against one of his hands and let out a sigh.

            “I mean, just because we’re a boy and a girl doesn’t mean we can’t just be friends, right?” she added. She turned to Syaoran, who had a piece of cheesecake in his mouth.

            “Rieph,” he agreed, mouth still full of cake. Sakura giggled. Syaoran swallowed and blushed bright red.

* * *

            It all happened so quickly.

            The earth started shaking during class. A ball of fire spat through the air. Death City was about to become a hellish, crumbled mass.

            People were screaming and trying to find cover as cracks formed in the streets. The earth moved up, twisting and turning, until it was a large rock-like serpent.

            Classes at the DWMA were already filing for the earthquake drill. Maka pulled Sakura and Syaoran aside.

            “You two need to go, right?” she said.

            The two kids nodded. They sensed two spirits of Clow.

            Maka nodded and let the two kids run off. A crack formed in one of the windows, ready to break. Syaoran busted it with a blade arm, and the two jumped out.

            “FLY!”

            Syaoran’s sword form suddenly grew wings. Sakura grabbed him, as they awkwardly flew through the air. Sakura had to hold the shaft of the sword with both hands.

            “Syaoran, this isn’t working!” Sakura cried, “Can’t you morph into something I can stand or sit on?”

            “What about that spell transforms metal things?” he suggested, “Like what you do with Tomoyo?”

            “Oh yeah! Silly me. Good idea!”

            As she started the spell, her hands began to slip. They were floating over a fiery pit. Sakura felt like her heart was coming out of her throat.

            Her hands slipped from the grip.

            “AAAIIEEE!!!!”

            A hand grabbed hers. The hilt of the sword awkwardly flapping its wings was now Syaoran’s arm.

            “It’s okay! I got you! Keep chanting!!!”

            Sakura continued the spell as their hands were now starting to slip. Syaoran wanted to morph out another hand but somehow couldn’t.

            When Sakura finished, Syaoran’s hand disappeared and the sword was now a green and silver scythe. They fell down towards the rocks below. Before Sakura could cast a spell with The FLY once more, Syaoran was a human again, and he grabbed her, ready to break her fall.

            “Syaoran!”

            As Sakura closed her eyes, something or someone caught them, and they were no longer falling. Sakura opened her eyes. Syaoran was still holding her for dear life. A young man in a black cloak now held both of them, as he floated on his skateboard.

            “I was enjoying the hilarious display but thought you could use assistance.”

            “Lord DEATH?!” the pair said together.

            “And Liz,” echoed one voice.

            “And PATTI!” echoed another.

            Liz and Patti Thompson sat in holsters on Lord Death’s hips.

            “Syaoran, why the HECK did you do that?” Sakura scolded, with Syaoran still holding onto her, “I was about to cast FLY!”

            “I…I have a duty to protect my meister,” he answer firmly. At this, Sakura’s cheeks turned pink.

            “Y…you could’ve done that after I…” Sakura grumbled, her cheeks now red. Patti started giggling.

            “Perhaps, you should cast your spell again now that you’re stable?” Kid suggested. Sakura nodded, and Syaoran turned into a sword once more. She cast the spell again, and Syaoran was now a dark green and silver scythe.

            “Wow!” muttered Liz.

            “SO COOL!” Patti squealed.

            “FLY!” Sakura shouted, and they were off.

            Syaoran felt strange in his new form, but adjusted quickly. His vision was strange. He looked ahead: nothing but clouds and the city below. Below, the ground was crumbling. Above…

            “Are you alright, SakurAAAGHH OH GOD I’M SORRY!”

            “What?” Sakura enquired.

            “I…I’M SORRY! I SAW SOMETHING I SHOULDN’T HAVE!”

            He didn’t want to look above again, and yet something in his brain was telling him to look again. Or his pants. What was going on in his pants very much wanted to look up again. The scythe-now-broomstick grew hot from the blush that was happening to Syaoran’s face. It didn’t hurt Sakura. It just felt warm. However, the scythe-now-broomstick began to waver, almost dropping Sakura.

            “EEP!” she squeaked, “Syaoran, what’s the matter?!”

            “I… I DUNNO! I’M SORRY!”

            “For Pete’s sake, just tell me what’s wrong!”

            “It’s…IT’S NOTHING!”

            And with that, Syaoran started muttering something in Mandarin and then the shaking and strange warmth stopped. Syaoran kept his eyes ahead.

            The focus didn’t last for long, as Sakura found a piece of land to stop on.

            “Syaoran, how’d you do that warming thing?” his meister asked, genuinely curious.

            “What warming thing?”

            “The thing! The shaft of the scythe was warm! How did you do that?”

            Syaoran was still in his scythe form as he blushed again. The shaft was now warm again.

            “Yes! That! How’re you doing that?”

            “I DON’T KNOW AND I DON’T WANT TO KNOW HOW!” her weapon cried in anguish. Sakura pouted, feeling somewhat disappointed. Syaoran was trying to drive away thoughts of what that warmth she was referring to felt like between her legs.

            And then, a stream of flame flew up and formed into a young girl with wings. Sakura drew a card from her leather holster.

            “WATERY!”

            The mermaid spirit flew out, glaring down the spirit girl in flames. Soon they were fighting. While the water seemed to weaken the fire spirit, it couldn’t be defeated completely. WATERY retreated only for the fire spirit to rekindle its fires.

            The spirit whirled around Sakura only to pick her up by the arms, scythe!Syaoran still in her grasp. She tried to kick free. She could feel the girl’s hands singeing her skin through her sleeves.

            “SAKURA!” he yelled. He swung himself upward, somehow hitting the fire girl in the face. She let go, Sakura’s sleeves now on fire.

            Sakura released The FLY once more, and she and Syaoran soared through the air as she brushed the now small flames off her uniform shirt. The sleeves were falling off. Sakura tore the remaining threads still in tack and threw the sleeves off. She then flew to a patch of trees that, thankfully, weren’t on fire.

            After they landed, Syaoran became a human once again.

            “Are you okay?!” he fretted.

            “I’m fine,” she smiled reassuringly, and she looked at her arms. Not serious burns, thankfully. The spirit wasn’t intending to hurt her. Yet again, her burns would’ve been worse, if Syaoran hadn’t done what he did.

            “Thank you,” she told him serenely. He blushed.

            “Sakura?!” a voice called. It was Tomoyo, with Meiling and Kero not far behind. Tomoyo had a large tote bag with her, for some reason.

            “Are you okay?” she asked, taking her dear friend’s hand.

            “I’m alright, thanks to my weapon partner over here,” she smiled, pointing to Syaoran.

            “Oh no, you’re uniform!” Tomoyo cried.

            “No biggie,” Sakura shrugged, “I just gotta treat my slight burns—”

            “It’s a good thing I brought a change of clothes!” Tomoyo cheered, pulling a flashy costume out of the large tote bag.

            “Maybe, we can worry about that later?” Meiling scolded, as she held up a first aid kit. Tomoyo took it gratefully and helped treat Sakura’s burns. She now had bandages around her upper arms.

            “Well now, that’s not a bad look for you!” Tomoyo smirked. Sakura looked at her, befuddled.

            “You look like a fighter chick from a video game!” her friend explained. Kero made video game punching and kicking noises behind her.

            “So, what are we going to do about this fire?” Meiling asked, “Did ya’ try WATERY?”

            “We did, but it wasn’t strong enough,” Sakura frowned.

            “ _Two_ ,” a voice whispered.

            Sakura nearly jumped. She could hear it in her head. It was like before, when catching The SHADOW.

            “ _You need two cards_ ,” the voice whispered again.

            Sakura went to her deck in her holster. She pulled out WATERY, thinking she needed another card to use with it but didn’t know which. FREEZE would probably melt, so that wasn’t an option.

            Then, an idea struck her. She went to her deck again, pulling out WINDY. She then grabbed Syaoran’s hand.

            “Come with me,” she told him.

            “Where you goin’?” Kero called out.

            “I GOTTA PLAN!” she answered, “I’LL BE RIGHT BACK!”

            As she ran to the edge where the earth started cracking, Sakura noticed that the trees they were by weren’t shaking as much as the earth around them. She stopped and ran back.

            “What are you doing?” Syaoran called.

            “I REMEMBERED SOMETHING!” she called back, and she ran up to Tomoyo. She pulled a card from her deck: WOOD.

            “If it shows up, use this,” Sakura told her and Meiling, “Hopefully, I’ll be back before that happens.”

            Tomoyo, her eyes anxious, hugged her best friend tightly. Then, without warning, she gave Sakura a peck on the cheek. Sakura blinked, her cheeks turning a bright pink.

            “Think of it as…good luck,” Tomoyo shrugged, “Sorry, I just…be careful.”

            “I will,” Sakura smiled. She ran back to Syaoran as Tomoyo stood there with the others.

            While she was putting the costume back in the tote bag, Tomoyo’s cheeks pinked as her mouth curled into a hopeful and loving smile.

* * *

            They flew through the air, Syaoran in scythe-gone-broomstick form once again and keeping his eyes away from…certain views.

            “So what’s the plan?” he asked.

            “We need to find that fire girl again,” she told him.

            “Well, I know that, but what do we do when we get to that?”

            “I don’t know if it’ll work, but we need to use two of these cards instead of one.”

            “They’re elementals though. Are you going to be okay?”

            “Well, I’m sure I will, but either way, it’s worth trying.”

            Sakura circled through the air until the fire spirit appeared once again. She had a fighting spirit in her eyes and a smirk on her lips. Sakura pulled out her two cards and cast her spell; hoping and praying it would work.

            “ _WINDY! WATERY!_ ”

            The two spirits flew through the air straight towards the fire spirit. The surrounded her, so much so that the girl couldn’t hold her flame for very long. Sakura clenched her fist in victory.

            Overwhelmed, the fire spirit passed out and curled into a golden bauble for Sakura to capture. The young, fiery girl with wings was on the face of the new card, her eyes peacefully closed. Her title read The FIREY.

            “We…we did it!” Syaoran breathed out, as they hovered to a stable rock formation.

            “WE DID IT!” Sakura cheered in agreement. As Syaoran immediately turned back into a human, Sakura greeted him with a warm and energetic hug. Syaoran only stiffened slightly, but somehow, he could see himself getting used to her warm hugs. He smiled to himself as she swung him and herself back and forth giggling in glee.

            Suddenly realizing her supposed mistake, she stopped and quickly let go, giving a stream of a thousand sorry’s.*  He tried to calm her down, but then a burst of light appeared behind him.

            It was near the small assortment of unblemished trees.

            “Oh no! Tomoyo! Meiling!” Sakura cried, and then something flew out of the clearing, as the mighty rock serpent came onto it’s trail.

            It was a large, winged lion. It had no mane, but it wore a helmet with a red jewel of some sort, as Sakura noted when it came close. Some people were riding on its back.

            Seeing that the rock monster wouldn’t stop following it, it reared around and roared out a burst of flames at it, like a dragon. The rock creature flung back, deciding to retreat underground, like an earthworm. The winged lion swung down and landed on the large rock Sakura and Syaoran were standing on.

            Tomoyo and Meiling hopped off of its back and ran over to them.

            “SAKURA, DID YOU SEE ALL OF THAT?! IT WAS SO COOL!” her friend squealed in delight. Sakura nodded but seemed confused. She didn’t recognize the creature in front of her.

            “Hey there, kiddo,” it spoke in a deep, rumbling voice.

            Sakura only stared.

            “Hey, c’mon, it’s me! Cerberus?”

            It hit her. Kero always talked about how his true form was super cool.

            “Kero-chan?”

            “Yup!” he seemed to smile.

            Sakura ran up to him, hugging his now larger figure. He placed a large paw on her back.

            “My God, I…you’re a…” Sakura stammered.

            “Pretty cool, huh?”

            Sakura began scratching behind Kero’s now smaller ears, and he began to purr, though it was more of a soft rumble.

            “You do look pretty cool,” Sakura admitted, “Although, there’s one thing that’s bugging me…”

            “Where’s your mane, you stuffed animal?” Syaoran smirked.

            “I KEEP IT TRIMMED!” Kero retorted. Suddenly he leaped into the air and landed straight on top of Syaoran.

            “Compared to before, you don’t stand a chance against me, brat,” Kero huffed out, with Syaoran struggling under the large lion’s weight.

            The girls only laughed, and Sakura gave a nervous chuckle. Suddenly the rock serpent was out of the ground again, shaking everything around it.

            “Tomoyo, grab Meiling,” Sakura ordered.

            “What?” she stammered, looking perplexed.

            “I gave you WOOD to use against this earth monster. I want you two to go out there and show it.”

            “Oh, you being lazy, Ms. Soul Captor?” Meiling jeered.

            “No, I know you’ve said that you feel like you don’t do anything, but I think you can do this. Go out there and show them your stuff!”

            Meiling looked shocked.

            “But…but I can’t! I…I’ve never…”

            “Sure you have! You caught all those other cards with Syaoran, right? You can do it! We _are_ a team, after all. Right?”

            Meiling looked like she was about to cry. She hugged Sakura tightly for the first time.

            “Right,” Meiling smiled, her eyes teary, “Come on, Tomoyo! You ready to do this?”

            “Yes ma’am, Ms. Meister!” she chirped. They grabbed hands, and Tomoyo turned herself into the sealing wand. Sakura handed her a card. Meiling looked at it and grinned.

            “ _FLY!_ ” she shouted.

            And they were off into the sky. The serpent was ready to strike, but Meiling pulled out the other card she had.

            “ _Bind this creature until it breaks! Lend your power to me, I beg! WOOD!_ ”

            With no effort, WOOD burst out, binding the rock serpent with roots and vines of every kind. It thrashed and screeched until the vines crushed it to rubble. As WOOD retreated back into her card, the rubble flew up and formed itself into its true face. It was another woman, with a headpiece and dress made entirely out of rock. She smiled before crumbling again and forming into another golden bauble.

            As Meiling floated, she held the golden soul in her hands. She clutched it tightly and flew back to the others.

            Once landed, Sakura sealed the soul away into a blank card. The rock-covered woman appeared gentle and benevolent as the card’s picture. The title read The EARTHY. Once done, the three girls huddled in together and jumped for joy. Kero smiled serenely, no longer on top of Syaoran as he too smiled. Meiling ran over and hugged him.

            “I DID IT, SYAORAN! I REALLY DID IT! I mean…we…” she pointed to Tomoyo and herself, “…we did it!”

            Syaoran hugged her back gently.

            “You did great out there,” he told her, and they both smiled.

            Suddenly, someone quickly came up behind Tomoyo, covering her mouth. Everyone leaped in shock and was about to attack. Unfortunately, this stranger had a knife to Tomoyo’s throat.

            “Sakura Kinomoto?” the stranger called out. It was a woman’s voice. Her hair was long and red. Her eyes were dark brown.

            Sakura stepped forward.

            “You’re to meet outside with The LIGHT outside of Death City tomorrow night. Your final trial will begin there.”

            “If she refuses?” Tomoyo choked out with a smirk. The woman brought knife closer to the girl’s neck.

            “I’ll kill you where you stand,” she hissed.

            Sakura’s mind flashed to her dream of Tomoyo in a pool of blood.

            “I’ll come, but…what do you mean ‘LIGHT’?” she questioned, “I don’t even have a Clow Card named that.”

            “You need to bring The LIGHT, or she dies tomorrow night,” the woman told her, the words slipping down Sakura’s spine like ice.

            “So long, and see you then,” the woman finished, as she took out a hand sized golden object, ribbons draping from below it. She waved it in the air, and the clanging of a bell could be heard. Tomoyo reached out to Sakura, who ran towards her but to no avail. The ribbons swirled around them, and with that, the two ladies were gone. Sakura dropped to her knees. Everyone ran to her.

            Sakura was in tears. Her friend was gone. She didn’t have any card called The LIGHT. Their day ended with success but also an empty victory and a growing dread.


	21. Light

AN: I think I made myself sad writing this chapter. When Sakura is sad, I am sad. I guess that’s how it goes.

* * *

            There was a construction company in Death City made entirely out of witches and wizards, so it didn’t take long before the city looked like normal again. As normal by Death City standards. At least there were no more cracks and trenches forming in the streets, and there were no more trees on fire.

            Sakura used WOOD and FLOWER to help repair some of the botanical fauna as well. Generous students and citizens were cleaning up as well. It was all Sakura could do to distract herself from the growing dread inside of her.

            Tomoyo was on her mind. Her best friend would die, if she didn’t find The LIGHT. However, spirits of CLOW had a natural habit of coming to her instead of her searching for one. So how was she supposed to find this particular spirit if she didn’t know where the hell it was? She had to clues or leads. She felt hopeless. Her friend, her best friend in the whole world, was going to die.

            The holster with the Clow Cards inside rustled to get her attention. She opened it and all of them flew out, encircling her. They floated there for some time, much to Sakura confusion.

            She felt wavelengths pulsing from each one, as if they were trying to comfort her in some way. Her heart became somewhat lighter, seeing spirits she barely knew now being so kind to her.

            “Thank you,” she whispered. They sparkled and circled her happily, making silver bell noises until she started to giggle. She held out her hand, and they all fell into a nice neat pile, resting on her palm and fingers.

            She later ate dinner with a tired Syaoran and Meiling, as they tried to cheer each other up. She wasn’t going to give up just yet.

* * *

            As she lay in bed, Sakura flipped through each Clow Card like she was studying flashcards. It was when she came to The DREAM that she stopped.

            She was told that she had the power of precognitive dreaming, from Kero, Ms. Yuuko, and even this card. She wondered if this spirit could help her somehow. She took the card out and put all the other cards back in the holster and onto her nightstand. She decided to place DREAM under her pillow and slowly fell asleep.

            All dreams were connected, as she had been told before. She hoped it would connect her to some sort of answer to save Tomoyo.

* * *

            She was in a white dress, different from last time, and she was under the same cherry tree. DREAM stood there in front of her, smiling gently.

            “ _You seek LIGHT, correct?_ ” she asked.

            “Yes, I need that spirit to save Tomoyo,” Sakura pleaded.

            “ _You needn’t look far, young Sakura._ ”

            DREAM placed her hand on the cherry blossom tree, and Sakura looked up. The petals were dancing around her, falling around them like snow. Putting her hand on the trunk of the tree, Sakura swore that she could feel a pulsing, like a heartbeat.

            The trunk made a slight crack, and Sakura peeked through it. It was some sort of strange vortex, like a universe was being born inside. She began to tear at the bark frantically, her fingers getting splintered, cut, and blistered. However, more of this small universe began to show. It was drawing her in. When she made the space in the trunk big enough, Sakura kicked her leg up and hopped straight in.

            “ _Good luck,_ ” DREAM called, as the bark of the trunk repaired itself so that no trace of the universe inside could be seen.

            The sky and space around Sakura was like seeing the universe, black and a spectrum of colors with stars sprinkled liberally through it all. The ground under her feet felt like cold glass when her toes touched it.

            As she walked about it, she felt as if she was floating. The colors in the sparkling sky dimmed until only a few stars and blackness remained, reflecting in the glass below her, like water. She continued walking until the world around her started snowing cherry blossom petals again.

            Sakura became more grounded to the glass at her feet, stepping onto cherry blossom petals. She walked slower, fearing she would slip. Strangely, the petals were soft yet created friction for her feet to tread on the smooth glass.

            She heard soft “ching” of bells and followed it, quickening her pace. As she got closer, the bells got louder. Hearing them to her left, she turned. It was the older version of herself from her previous dream. She appeared to be strung up with wire, like she was being cradled in a hammock. Cherry blossom petals lay softly on her elegantly dressed form. She was still wearing the pink and purple dress from before. When Sakura stepped closer, the woman opened her eyes, like a plastic baby doll, wide and unblinking.

            The adult Sakura reached out to her. Sakura stepped forward and touched her hand. With that, the bells rung again and the wires snapped, releasing the mysterious and older doppelganger. The woman floated down gracefully, petals falling off her clothes and faces and onto the glass below.

            “It seems I arrived to you at the right moment,” the woman smiled gently, life filling her face. She put her hand on Sakura’s cheek, looking into her eyes thoughtfully.

            “Who are you?” Sakura couldn’t help but ask. Her older self smiled.

            “I am you,” she answered.

            “That seems obvious, but…are you from the future?”

            “No…” the woman looked down sadly, “I’m from the past and also the present.”

            Sakura already felt her head spin.

            “Because of one man’s wish, time and space has distorted,” her older self explained with a stern demeanor, “It is my wish to fix it, and through your journey…we may be able to.”

            “How are you a past version of me _and_ a present version of me?”

            “I am not from your universe. I’m from another. In time, it will become clear for you. For now, there is something you need.”

            “Oh yeah! My…friend…”

            “Tomoyo-chan…”

            “Yes, Tomoyo-ch… you know her?”

            “There is a Tomoyo Daidouji in my world as well,” the woman told her, sadness filling her eyes.

            “I see…”

            “Your Tomoyo is in trouble, correct?”

            “Yes.”

            “You need to bring them something…or rather some _one_.”

            “Yes!”

            “Come with me.”

            Sakura followed her to the wires that hung limply in the air. Spreading them apart, like curtains, the woman tore open a portal that seemed to lead to another cherry blossom tree.

            As they stepped through, Sakura saw a place that looked more natural. It was a garden of some sort. No…not a garden. More of a small yard. The cherry blossom tree was large and stood with a strange wooden fence behind it. Feeling something loom behind her, Sakura turned around.

            It was a Japanese styled house, with sliding doors and tiled roofing. The way the house was arranged on the exterior, however, seemed more European, possibly Victorian. It had a large walking porch, wear a young man sat, smoking a pipe similar to Ms. Yuuko’s. He wore a kimono loosely on his wiry frame. His hair was short and jet-black and his eyes were blue. His glasses resembled Clow Reed’s glasses a little. Sitting next to him was a black rabbit of some sort with squinty eyes and a round, blue jewel on its forehead.

            “What is this place?” Sakura questioned, taking it all in.

            “It’s a shop,” older Sakura answered, “A shop that grants wishes. This tree is where I currently am.”

            “You’re…in the tree?”

            “It is a price I pay, but only for a little while longer.”

            “Who's the man sitting behind us?”

            “Kimihiro Watanuki. He is the current owner of this shop, until his master returns. I don’t know if she ever will, but…we’ll let fate decide that part.”

            “Can he see us?”

            “At one time, he could see things like me, but now he only feels them. He knows we’re here, but only in a separate reality. He is in the world of the living. We are in the dream world. A world of…of the dead.”

            Sakura froze. Dead? This older version of herself couldn’t possibly be suggesting…

            “You’re dead…” Sakura whispered. Her older self looked at her with sad eyes. A tear rolled down her face.

            “Not fully…” she choked, “At times though, I wish I were, but that is part of the process of living this way, trapped here, and unable to move on. Death is a transition of sorts, and I haven’t made the full transition. I’m waiting for the moment that I can.”

            Sakura felt horrified. This older version of herself looked so broken. There were times she felt hopeless, but she never knew sadness like what she was witnessing. Older Sakura was clawing at the tree’s bark in front of her, as if it was a wall to break through. She then stopped crying and turned to Sakura, gripping her shoulders tightly.

            “Listen to me carefully, Sakura Kinomoto,” she instructed, “This spirit of Clow you are taking is a part of myself I found when I was very small. It is the light I had in my heart, much like what you have in your own soul. You must keep it close to you. This is the first step you must take in releasing me and the other spirits of Clow, alright?”

            Sakura nodded, trying to calm her nerves a little.

            “When I was younger, I was in a play. I played a prince. A darkness enveloped everyone around me, but I still remained. I was able to go on. Do you know how?”

            Sakura shook her head slowly.

            “It was LIGHT. She was in my heart, and she came with me when I was sealed in here. She’s going to come with you, and you must bring her through to your world. Do you understand?”

            Sakura nodded. She had a clearer idea of what to do, even if she didn’t understand some of the details this version of her was saying.

            “When that happens, you will need to find DARK. While this wasn’t true for before, DARK is part of your Tomoyo’s heart. She was…a gift of sorts.”

            “From you, Ms…um…”

            “Ms. Sakura’s fine. And no, not from me. She…she was given from the Tomoyo in…my universe.”

            “Where is she?”

            Sakura didn’t answer. The world around them was starting to crumble.

            “It appears you’re starting to wake up,” the older Sakura pointed out. She went to the tree and made another tear. Reaching inside the grabbed a young woman’s dead white hand, leading her out. It was a gorgeous woman, adorabed in all white with black as night eyes. She wore a white crown on her head, and her hair was as long as her tall figure, kinking and curling.

            “ ** _Hello,_** ” the woman addressed Sakura. Sakura gaped at how beautiful this spirit was.

            “Are you…LIGHT?” Sakura asked.

            “ ** _Yes, young lady, I am,_** ” she said, in a voice that was as clear as crystal. The world around them crumbled.

            “Come now, both of you!” the older Sakura pleaded, “There’s no time to spare. We need to get LIGHT to your universe, Sakura!”

            It was clear that even in these dreams, Sakura was travelling to other universes, or at least seemed like she was.

            Older Sakura ripped tears through these different realities until they reached one where DREAM stood by the cherry blossom tree, waiting patiently. Sakura got through easily. Older Sakura couldn’t leave.

            “Why aren’t you coming?” Sakura cried to her other self.

            “I only was able to come into your own dream the other time because of the little power I have left!” she shouted through the crumbling around her, “I can’t leave here until you wake up, but you need to bring LIGHT with you! Don’t worry about me for now! Save your friend!!!”

            The sadness in Sakura’s eyes quickly turned into determination as she grabbed LIGHT’s hand and dragged her through. It was more difficult than she expected.

            “REMEMBER YOUR INVINCIBLE SPELL, SAKURA!” her older self called, “IT’S WRITTEN IN THE BOOK! I’M SURE YOU’LL BE ALRIGHT!”

            Hearing those words seemed to spark something within Sakura as she dragged LIGHT with more force through the tear in the tree. DREAM saw her struggling and began to pull with her.

            “IT’S BECAUSE SHE’S A PART OF MS. SAKURA, I BELIEVE,” DREAM shouted above the turmoil, “DON’T WORRY, YOUNG SAKURA! WE’LL GET HER THROUGH! PULL HARDER!”

            Sakura only had so much arm strength in her, but then…she thought of Tomoyo. She thought of her friends back home. LIGHT seemed to be coming through more easily. Older Sakura began to push the spirit through behind her.

            With one more pull, the tear seemed to spit LIGHT out and everyone fell backwards. A tired older Sakura waved wearily with a bigger smile on her face as the tear in the tree closed. The world around them was calm, and all of the ladies got up off the ground.

            “ ** _Thank you, young Sakura, for bringing me through,_** ” the beautiful lady in white smiled. Sakura returned with a nervous laugh and a grin.

            “I guess…I’m a little surprised,” Sakura admitted, “From my other dream I had the other night, she seemed so collected and…powerful. But tonight, she…she seemed so sad. What happened to her in her universe?”

            “ _She is very troubled, young Sakura,_ ” DREAM answered, “ _However, you are still right to believe that she’s very powerful. She will be all right. The fact that you exist now is giving her hope. You’ll see._ ”

            “My existence…is giving her hope?”

            “ ** _You are the key to everything, young Sakura,_** ” LIGHT added, “ ** _You will be alright._** ”

            As LIGHT brushed her fingers through Sakura’s hair, the young meister relaxed a little and smiled. They all rested under the cherry blossom tree, watching the petals float to the ground and dance around them. Sakura felt her eyes droop and stretched her arms out in a big yawn. LIGHT and DREAM let the young meister rest her head in both of their laps as LIGHT continued stroking Sakura’s hair. She felt her soul relax as she faded back into reality.

* * *

            Sakura awoke drowsily to feel something warm under her pillow. Her eyes felt heavy, but she turned her head to see that her pillow was glowing gold. She got up quickly and lifted her pillow, liking a child checking if the tooth fairy left a quarter or a dollar.

            A golden Clow soul giggled a little next to The DREAM card, which looked like it hadn’t bent from being squashed under the pillow. Sakura picked up both of them, setting The DREAM on the nightstand and grabbing a blank card.

            “ _Return to the form you were meant to be. CLOW CARD._ ”

            With that, the image of the woman in white appeared her arms criss-crossed, holding a sun in one hand and a cloud in the other. The name read The LIGHT.

            Sakura stared at it for a moment before sprinting out the bedroom door and bursting into Syaoran’s room.

            “SYAORAN! OH MY GOD OHMYGOD SYAORAN!” she squawked.

            The young weapon flailed about on the bed like a fish out of water before quickly sitting up, his hair messier than usual. He was clad in a white undershirt and boxers. When he saw who woke him up, his eyes widened and he covered himself as if he’d been caught naked, his face flushed.

            “Whu—SAKURA?! WHAT…”

            “LOOK!” she screamed joyously, “LOOK WHAT I CAUGHT! I WAS DREAMING AND THERE WAS THIS OLDER VERSION OF ME ANDTHENJUSTHERE! LOOK!”

            She scrambled onto the bed next to him and held out the card for him to see. He squinted at it, and his eyes widened when he realized what it was.

            “The LIGHT…” he stammered.

            “I KNOW!” she squealed.

            At this, Syaoran immediately hugged her, and she hugged him back. Their souls resonated joy back and forth, celebrating this small moment of hope out of many to come. However, Sakura sensed that they were hugging for maybe a little too long. Syaoran realized this and let go quickly, his red flush returning to his cheeks.

            “It looks like we can go find Tomoyo now,” he chuckled nervously, scratching his head. Sakura giggled excitedly as she leaped off the bed.

            “Let’s grab breakfast and get this day rolling! We’ve got a battle to win!” she cheered, as she ran off to call Meiling and get a plan of action together.


	22. Dark

AN: Let’s get this trial underway! Go save your girlfri… best friend, Sakura! Also, here. Have overt lesbian symbolism. And I’m calling The NOTHING The VOID instead, as it is another translation of the card’s name. It fits in with the story. Trust me.

* * *

            Tomoyo had a blindfold over her eyes as the clacking of heels could be heard on tile floors. She slept with that blindfold on and her hands tied behind her back, and it seemed that they weren’t going to come off anytime soon.

            The clacking got closer now. Soon, her kidnapper had her by the hair and pulled her to her feet. She felt a few hairs pluck from her scalp as a result, but her captor still held her hair tightly.

            “You’re making him upset, you know?” the kidnapper said.

            Tomoyo stayed silent. She knew. Clow Reed wasn’t happy with her decision to partner with Meiling or keep her distance from Sakura. She could feel it in her soul. It was as if he was with her all of the time. Her mind constantly filled itself with the white noise of static, like faulty cable networks on a TV set.

            “Why do you fight us like this, Ms. Daidouji?”

            Still, Tomoyo kept her lips shut.

            “Oh that’s right. The blindfold. Here.”

            Finally, the blindfold was removed. Tomoyo felt blinded though. The light in the room was very bright. Before her stood the woman with long, red hair and brown eyes. She had a gentle smile on her face. She wore what looked like clothes you’d where as a grade school teacher: long, pleated maxi skirt, a button-up shirt, and a tweed blazer.

            “Hello,” she greeted, “Do you remember me?”

            Tomoyo stared at her. She _was_ the woman that took her away, but she seemed to be hinting that she met Tomoyo before that.

            She shook her head.

            “Didn’t think so,” she sighed, “I’m Kaho Mizuki. I used to substitute as a math teacher at Tomoeda Elementary. But…that was a long time ago.”

            Kaho let go of Tomoyo’s hair and pushed her back onto the floor. Tomoyo landed smack on her rear. She felt immense pain in her tailbone.

            “He said that we’d all remember eventually,” Kaho went on, “But it would take some time. Is that spirit still inside you?”

            Tomoyo froze.

            “It’s amazing how all of these spirits of Clow showed up, isn’t it? Quite miraculous actually. He found them the day he awoke here. It was in a book with his name on it, so obviously it was meant for him. He knew that young girl was in this universe, and so…he figured he could draw her back to him with her old friends. I don’t know why that _other_ girl sent the cards to this universe, but…”

            Tomoyo was now completely confused.

            “Oh, I guess he didn’t tell you! So sorry, dear.”

            Kaho got closer.

            “Those spirits aren’t from Clow, you know. Originally, from what I heard, that book was all pink and had a different magic circle on it. But, he _did_ say they were created by him a long time ago in another universe, so I guess it’s alright. They came from that other girl as well. Do you know who she is?”

            Tomoyo shook her head.

            “Why, she’s the one who brought you here! You would’ve been an entirely different person, if she didn’t bring you here.”

            Tomoyo felt her head about to burst. These spirits of Clow were _found_? A girl brought her into this universe and made her into a weapon of Clow’s? Why?

            “I suppose I’ve said enough,” Kaho sighed, “I just needed to talk to someone about what he was telling me. This little girl in the black orb is all mopey.”

            Over in the corner was the girl in question. She had long, curly hair that was an ashy brown or blonde; Tomoyo didn’t know which. She seemed very young, and then she sensed it. This little girl was a spirit of Clow. She was glaring at Kaho from her corner.

            “No need to look so upset,” Kaho chuckled.

            “You’re not supposed to be here,” the girl hissed, “He brought you back to life. That’s a major taboo!”

            “Indeed, but he loves me, so it’s no trouble at all,” Kaho sneered, as she turned on her heels and went to exit a very strange door.

            “We’ll be out of here soon,” she said to Tomoyo, “See what you can do about that spirit of Clow in your soul, dear.”

            The door clicked shut.

            Tomoyo took a moment to look at her surroundings, but there wasn’t much there. It was an empty, white-walled room. She decided to collapse to the ground and lay there. The girl in her black orb floated to her.

            “You know what she’s talking about?” she asked.

            “Vaguely,” Tomoyo answered, “There’s a woman in my dreams that says she’s a spirit of Clow, and I’ve had it a few times, especially when I was in that cell a long while ago.”

            “Go to sleep,” said the girl, “You’ll see her there.”

            “Are you…helping me somehow?”

            “I can only do so much, since I am a prisoner and also a jailer, but soon I shall be free, like all the others.”

            Tomoyo stared cluelessly, but the girl motioned her to not think about it too much. Tomoyo decided to shut her eyes and maybe get the bright light out of her eyes.

* * *

            “ **_You’ve been ignoring me for a while,_ ** ” the spirit said.

            Tomoyo sat on a glassy floor in this dream of hers, in a black dress with long sleeves. She hugged her knees to her chest as she turned to finally face whatever spirit this was supposed to be.

            It was a beautiful woman with bleach-white skin and dark lips. Her eyes were black as the rest of her ensemble. Her low-cut dress was as dark as the work around them, as well as her straight as bone black hair. Both of which were as long and tall as she was. She had a tall, back crown on top of her head.

            Tomoyo felt her face heat up at the sight of such a gorgeous woman, and she looked away quickly.

            “ ** _Please don’t ignore me again like you seem to do,_** ” the woman pleaded earnestly.

            “Sorry, I just…you’re very pretty,” Tomoyo stammered. The woman was taken aback, but she smiled soon after.

            “ ** _You have questions, I’m sure,_** ” she said.

            Tomoyo whipped her head around and nodded.

            “ ** _Go ahead,_** ” the woman motioned, “ ** _I will answer as best as I can._** ”

            “Who are you, and why are you here?” Tomoyo began.

            “ ** _I am DARK. I was sent here by my old master, Ms. Sakura._** ”

            “Sakura? You mean…”

            “ ** _No, no, not the Sakura you know. She is from another universe. She is also the one who brought you here._** ”

            “But how…why?”

            “ ** _She told me she had a childhood friend. She had dark hair and the bluest eyes. She was apparently in love with Ms. Sakura, and Ms. Sakura never knew, even after she…_** ”

            There was a pause.

            “This friend…she died, didn’t she?”

            “ ** _I’m afraid so. It wasn’t until she made it to the other side that she realized it._** ”

            Characters came alive before them, like a play. It was an older Sakura and Tomoyo.

            “Why…why are you here?” older Tomoyo asked, horror evident on her face.

            “To find everyone,” the older Sakura replied, “To fix everything that Clow Reed broke.”

            “But if you’re here, that means you’re…NO! NO NO NO NO NO! SAKURA-CHAN!!!!”

            The older Tomoyo ran up and wrapped her arms around Sakura’s waist, falling to her knees in sobs.

            “It’s okay, Tomoyo-chan, really,” she cooed, “Don’t cry.”

            “BUT YOU CAN’T BE DEAD!!! YOU CAN’T BE!!!”

            “No one lives forever.”

            “BUT…but look at you. You’re still so young and beautiful! You should be with Syaoran-kun, and…”

            Sakura’s face fell.

            “Everyone is dead, Tomoyo. Everyone I love…everyone in my life is gone. He did this. Clow Reed, he… He’s torn apart everything.”

            “But…but how?”

            “In another universe, a wish was granted. It became distorted and somehow affected our universe as well. And all of it, I discovered, was linked to Clow Reed, the Clow Cards, and the wish he had and thrust onto me. Now, he’s become a distortion in a different universe. I…I have to stop him.”

            “And now you’re dead…”

            “Not completely. My body is completely gone, but my soul still remains. I can go to different universes only so often through dreams now. I was…surprised to see you here. I thought you’d be with VOID…”

            “The VOID card?”

            “Yes! I’ve got it all figured out! I’m going to send the Clow Cards to a reincarnation of myself that I found in this universe! She has the power to stop Clow Reed once and for all! Everything will be fixed!”

            “Am I there?”

            “I’m afraid not. I didn’t see you there. I did see Syaoran-kun, and dad, and…Tomoyo-chan?”

            The older Tomoyo was looking on the ground now and chuckling in defeat.

            “Hah…even in other universes, we’re not meant to be, are we?”

            “Huh?”

            “You never knew Sakura, but…sometimes, I always thought that…in some other universe, we’d be together.”

            “You’re still my best friend, Tomoyo-chan! That hasn’t cha—”

            “THAT’S NOT WHAT I MEAN!”

            Sakura was taken aback now as Tomoyo sobbed.

            “Sakura-chan, you’re a smart girl, but BY GOD you are dense as can be sometimes. It was so frustrating, especially when I…”

            When she saw the hurt in her friend’s eyes, she stopped.

            “I’m sorry, I…”

            “No…you’re right. I was…can be a bit dense. I’m sorry.”

            Tomoyo looked at her friend straight in the eye.

            “I love you.”

            Sakura had sadness in her eyes.

            “Even as you walked down the aisle with that wonderful boy, even as you looked at Yukito-san with longing when you were ten, from the moment I saw you Sakura-chan I loved you with every once of my being.”

            Sakura began crying.

            “And I know you love Syaoran-kun the most. I wanted to see you happy. And even now, if you’re happy, then so am I! But these feelings…never went away! Even now, I curse the fact that I have them! I thought I’d find someone like you did! I tried dating men, and I just…I CAN’T! I ONLY HAD EYES FOR YOU! EVERY GIRL THAT I SAW WHILE I WAS ALIVE LOOKED LIKE YOU!!! I’M NOT ATTRACTED TO BOYS! I CAN’T EVEN FORCE MYSELF TO LIKE BOYS THAT WAY WHEN I TRY! I’M ALL ALONE! I’M IN LOVE WITH YOU, AND YOU’RE NOT IN LOVE WITH ME, AND THERE’S NO SPECIAL PERSON OUT THERE FOR ME, NO MATTER HOW HARD I PRAY!!!”

            The older Tomoyo was a sobbing mess as older Sakura let hers roll down her cheeks. Tomoyo and DARK merely watched, but Tomoyo started to cry as well.

            Sakura held her friend tightly.

            “I’m sorry, Tomoyo-chan,” she choked, “I’m sorry I can’t feel the same way, and I’m sorry that I never…that I never saw how you felt.”

            She lifted Tomoyo’s face to meet her gaze.

            “Don’t worry,” she told her friend, “I’ve got an idea. I’m going to make sure you find someone just for you. I’m sure there’s someone. No, I know it! Come with me.”

            The two older versions of Tomoyo and her friend faded away, and Tomoyo wiped the tears from her face.

            “ ** _Ms. Sakura took her dear friend’s soul and attached it to the weapon Clow Reed was making,_** ” DARK continued,“ ** _To make sure he wouldn’t have any influence on you, he left you on a young woman’s porch, hoping you could live a peaceful beginning._** ”

            Tomoyo felt her heart ache. It was this other version of Sakura that left her with Sonomi Daidouji of the universe they lived in.

            “ ** _She knew that the weapon would form a partnership with Sakura, which was why she put the soul there. She also knew that you wouldn’t do what Clow Reed wanted because of your dedication to the young Sakura. She wanted to make sure that her friend had a chance to at least find love in young Sakura, or even someone else, if fate allowed. You are a true reincarnation of the original Tomoyo Daidouji._** ”

            “What about Sakura? Is she…”

            “ ** _Young Sakura, the Sakura of your world, is not the same as Ms. Sakura. They are similar, but they are completely different people. You and another lady are the only true reincarnations._** ”

            “Another one? Who?”

            “ ** _A woman who governs time and space. Her name, I believe, is Yuuko Ichihara._** ”

            “So then…why are you here with me? Other than to tell me all of these things…”

            “ ** _Ms. Sakura attached me to Ms. Tomoyo before turning her over to this world so that she may become you. During the process, however, LIGHT attached herself to Ms. Sakura, for when I act, she acts in turn._** ”

            “LIGHT?”

            “ ** _My most precious person. She is my other half and a spirit of Clow. She tried to attach herself to your soul as well, but it was too much for you._** ”

            “So…she’s your…lover?”

            “ ** _More of a wife, but yes._** ”

            At this, Tomoyo blinked. Even other spirits could be attracted like humans could. The idea that this spirit called her significant other her wife made Tomoyo smile.

            “ ** _She told me to tell you these things because she didn’t want you to be disheartened. Ms. Sakura said that there is a chance you may end up with the young Sakura._** ”

            Tomoyo whipped her head and blushed brightly.

            “Wha?!”

            “ ** _She told me to tell you that you have a chance with her. She said there was also someone else in this universe that could be your most precious person as well. Which one it was…she wasn’t sure. She told me it got…blurry._** ”

            “This…Ms. Sakura can see into the future?”

            “ ** _Very much so. Through dreams, like your young Sakura can._** ”

            There was a soft rumbling.

            “ ** _It seems they’ve arrived. I must tell you now. Kaho is a formidable opponent. VOID, the small child, is also powerful. Sakura will need to defeat both to complete the final trial._** ”

            “What is this final trial supposed to be?”

            “ ** _All I can say now is that the person Sakura loves is not who they appear to be._** ”

            The rumbling got louder, and Tomoyo felt arms around her that she couldn’t see.

            “ ** _I must go. Clow Reed is beckoning me. Unlike you, I cannot disobey. Be brave, Tomoyo Daidouji._** ”

            With that, Tomoyo’s vision became hazy. There was nothing but darkness when she awoke. However, a fiery yet dim light appeared on her right.

* * *

            “Tomoyo?”

            It was Meiling. She had Tomoyo resting in one of her arms. She held Tomoyo’s hand with the other.

            Tomoyo sat up, rubbing her head. It seemed the ropes that bound her hands were gone.

            “TOMOYO!” Sakura shouted in joy, as she embraced her. Tomoyo sighed and smiled, hugging her dear friend back.

            “Are you okay?” Tomoyo asked.

            “Hey, that’s _my_ line,” Sakura pouted, and they both giggled.

            “I’m fine,” Tomoyo replied.

            “So am I,” her friend nodded.

            It was pitch black around them. Syaoran held one of his fire paper charms as a candle in the darkness. Kero, in his large lion form, shielded them with his wings.

            “Where are we?” Tomoyo asked. She felt the familiar tile below her, but there were no signs of the white walls or the young spirit of Clow.

            “We hopped into some rip in space that showed up in the desert,” Meiling shrugged, “I tell you. Nothing but weird shit every day.”

            “When we came to the desert to get you,” Syaoran added, “We found this rip and it led us into some bright, white hallway. We saw a draw, but it was…leaking blackness. Sakura ran towards it, opened it, and then we were here.”

            “We lit one of Syaoran’s charms to see if you were here,” Sakura finished, “Have you been in this darkness the whole time?”

            “No…” Tomoyo shook her head, “This is a spirit of Clow. It’s DARK.”

            Everyone turned their heads to Tomoyo.

            “It’s a Clow spirit?!” Sakura exclaimed, “I can’t even feel it!”

            “It must be very powerful,” Kero said, sweating nervously.

            Tomoyo noticed the hint of Sakura’s hand holding a card.

            “Sakura, what is that?” she asked.

            Sakura held it up for her to see. It was The LIGHT. Tomoyo blinked.

            “How did you find that?!”

            “Well, actually…” Meiling butted in, “Sakura had this awesome dream where she met some older version of herself and…”

            Tomoyo stopped her and brought Sakura closer to her.

            “You need to use that card.”

            “Huh? You sure?” Sakura puzzled.

            “Positive,” Tomoyo smiled, “Syaoran, you can put the flame out.”

            Syaoran nodded and put it out. In complete darkness, Tomoyo grabbed Sakura’s hand holding the card and lifted it up. Realizing what she was doing, Sakura chanted the spell, and Tomoyo joined in.

            “ _LIGHT!_ ” they shouted.

            Instantly the darkness cleared away as the woman in white appeared before them. The white walled room seemed to shine so bright that it looked like it was disappear. Everyone hid their faces. All that was dark in the room was a woman’s figure sitting on the ground and the little girl in the black orb.

            “ ** _DARK? I’m here! I’m sorry you had to wait,_** ” the woman in white spoke gently.

            DARK got up and leaped to LIGHT jubilantly. Their foreheads touched.

            “ ** _I missed you terribly,_** ” DARK replied, “ ** _But I’d wait forever if I had to. Now, let’s clear this illusion of a room. What do you say?_** ”

            LIGHT nodded, and they both lifted an arm pointing above. The walls of the room crumbled. Everyone below huddled together under Kero’s large, angel-like wings. The girl in the orb disappeared. The room was now a black empty space, tiled pillars scattered everywhere, either floating or placed on a ground no one could see. The sky above warped into strange, grotesque shapes in shades of gold, dark blue, and violet.

            LIGHT wasn’t as bright as before, DARK no longer wrapped darkness around them, and the group came out from under Kero’s wings to see their new surroundings. The two spirits faced Sakura, warmly embracing each other.

            “ ** _You returned me to her, and for that, I couldn’t be happier,_** ” LIGHT beamed, “ ** _Thank you, young Sakura._** ”

            Sakura smiled back.

            “ ** _Your trial is not over, however,_** ” DARK warned, “ ** _You must seal VOID and then pass the final trial. After that, you’re true mission awaits._** ”

            Sakura nodded. With that, DARK twisted her body around until she was a golden soul, ready to seal away. LIGHT handed the soul to Sakura, who grabbed a blank card and sealed DARK away. Her image appeared on the card, her arms criss-crossed like LIGHT’s, only in her hands she held a crescent moon in one and a six-pointed star in the other. Her title was on the bottom. When it was finished, LIGHT returned to her card.

            Sakura now had The LIGHT and The DARK together at last. Tomoyo placed a hand on Sakura’s shoulder, and they smiled at one another.

            Tomoyo looked down and noticed what Sakura was wearing and nearly cried in joy. It was the outfit she made for her. It was a white and pink piece accented in black lining, with a white cap hat and a military style jacket, with gold buttons and a long coattail that separated into top points. It came with cuff-rolled shorts, and Sakura was wearing her big, black boots with the pink soles on them.

            “You look so darling!” Tomoyo squealed.

            “I figured I’d surprise you by wearing one of the outfits in your bag,” Sakura giggled, “I liked this one, so…”

            Tomoyo hugged her tightly, and Sakura returned the embrace with the same amount of force.

            “Sakura!” Kero roared, and the two girls turned around.

            The girl in the black orb floated before them. Meiling had Syaoran in his sword form, ready to fight.

            “Please step aside, Creature of the Seal,” she addressed to Kero.

            “You too, descendants of Clow Reed,” she addressed Meiling and Syaoran.

            She floated forward to Sakura, who stepped forward.

            “You’re…the little girl from before…when I caught The ERASE,” Sakura murmured. The girl nodded.

            “I can now come with you,” she said, “You will need my powers to understand your next mission.”

            “WHAT ARE YOU DOING?!” a voice shouted.

            Everyone turned around again to see Kaho Mizuki standing on one of the tiled pillars. She was now in a Shinto shrine maiden’s outfit, holding the strange golden object with the long ribbons hanging from it. She looked like a ravenous beast, unlike the calm demeanor she had before.

            “YOU’RE SUPPOSED TO BE THE ONE THAT FINISHES HER!” she roared, “CLOW REED IS COMMANDING YOU—”

            “Clow Reed holds no power over me!” the girl called out, “He never has. I have a mission to grant my master’s wish, and I will see through to do so!”

            She turned her attention back to Sakura.

            “Your powers have something to do with the older me?” Sakura questioned.

            “She is with me right now,” the girl answered with a smile, and an afterimage of the older Sakura appeared for a brief moment before vanishing.

            “Keep me by your pillow when the time comes,” she continued, “Your dreams will get stranger. Your tasks will be harder. However, you will be stronger with each step you take. Here.”

            Out of the blackness of the girl’s orb came a long card that floated to Sakura. It looked like a Clow Card, but it was pink and had no title on it. It simply had SAKURA in tiny, handwritten letters on the bottom and a simple red heart with wings as the picture.

            “This is a gift from Ms. Sakura,” the girl explained, “Good luck.”

            With that, the black orb popped and dissipated like a dry ice bubble. The girl twisted around, forming into a golden soul. Before she could chant any spell, a blank card appeared out of nowhere and the soul disappeared inside. Sakura grabbed it and saw the picture of the little girl with curly hair and a dress with draping that looked like wings, a large, black pearl-like jewel on her forehead, and pairs of wings on both the bodice of her dress and on top of her head. The title read The VOID.

            Slow clapping began in the distance.

            “Oh, well done, Sakura Kinomoto,” Kaho sneered, “You caught them all.”

            Sakura put the cards in her holster and walked up.

            “Who are you?!” she shouted, “What is this place?!”

            “Why, I am your old teacher, Kaho Mizuki!” she exclaimed with pride, “Don’t you remember me?”           

            Sakura shook her head slowly. Tomoyo glared.

            “She’s not the Sakura from _your_ universe, so she _shouldn’t_ remember you!” Tomoyo shouted, “You’re just some sort of zombie Clow Reed brought back to use as some pawn!”

            “Oh, how hurtful!” Kaho pretended to be shocked, “Now, who could’ve told you something so heinous? Surely not one of Clow’s followers?”

            “They’re not _his_ followers,” Tomoyo gritted, “He’s just using them!”

            “Believe what you want,” Kaho smirked, “But one thing doesn’t change. Sakura’s captured all of his followers, and now we can determine if she’s worthy to be his successor.”

            She stepped to the side, and Sakura saw a silver-haired figured in the distance, lying unconscious on the ground. A cage appeared behind them, and it appeared to have someone inside.

            “WHAT IS THIS, YOU BITCH?!” the young man inside cried, “LET US GO, AND GET YOUR PAWS OFF OF YUKI!”

            Sakura realized who they were.

            “BIG BROTHER!!! YUKITO!!!!” she cried. She ran forward, but Tomoyo held her back, only because she didn’t want Sakura getting hurt.

            “Now…” Kaho said, lifting the unconscious Yukito into the air with her mysterious golden object with ribbons.

            “With the Bell of the Moon and the Guardian of the Clow…”she smiled, “It’s time to begin the final trial.”


	23. Judgement

AN: FINALLY, I’m AT THIS POINT! THANK YOU LAWD! The first half of the saga can end, but this fanfiction is far from over. Yue’s outfit is really hard to describe. CURSE YOU YUE AND YOUR COMPLICATED FORM OF DRESS! Also, here. Have some more Soul Eater character moments. 

* * *

 

            “The ‘Bell of the Moon’ must be what’s in her hands,” Syaoran murmured to himself.

            The supposed bell started to glow, and Kaho released it and Yukito, letting them float into the air. Yukito’s chest started glowing, as if reacting to the bell. Suddenly, the bell fell to the ground with a clang, and Yukito grew angelic wings out of his back. They folded around him like a caterpillar in a caccoon, and the glowing became brighter.

            Sakura could only watch anxiously until the wings unfolded, revealing a different person inside.

            It was a very androgynous-looking man, with long white hair and ice-blue eyes. His clothes were white with blue accents, a sort of Chinese styled outfit with pants that stretched more like tights to his feet. They formed into a point, lying overtop his feet towards his middle toes on each foot. A large, dark blue and circular jewel rested at his sternum on his clothes. He had a long, white cloth draped over one of his shoulder, like a Roman Empire emperor.

            While Sakura was somewhat terrified, she did find him to be very beautiful. The strange and beautiful angel flew over to her, staring at her intently.

            “Who…who are you?” she asked.

            His brow furrowed, and his eyes squinted at his.

            “Yue…” Kero murmured, “So, you’re…your temporary form _was_ in that boy.”

            “Very perceptive as always, Cerberus,” he said, ice laced in every word he uttered. It sent shivers down Sakura’s spine.

            “Sakura…” Kero began, “This is Yue. The other Guardian of the Book of Clow. He was missing…he’s the moon that would’ve been on the back of the book.”

            “But…but what happened to Yukito?!” she cried.

            “Yukito?” Yue said, “Oh…I see…you mean my temporary form.”

            Sakura froze.

            “You and Yukito…are the same person?” she shivered.

            “But also not,” he added.

            Sakura fell to her knees. She didn’t understand. Tomoyo was involved with Clow Reed in some way. And now, Yukito was too. She had hoped to keep him away from this mess, but he ended up being more involved than she thought.

            “I’ve been sleeping within your beloved Yukito, waiting to see if you would be able to complete the final trial,” Yue continued, “I am your judge, so to speak.”

            “What…what do I need to do?” she asked.

            “You must defeat me. Convince me that you are worthy of being my master. Show me your mastery of magic. Show me your worthiness to use the Clow Cards. Once that happens, I will grant you whatever you desire. If you wish to be Clow’s successor, I will give you the power to do so. If you wish to do as you please, you will become my and Cerberus’s master.”

            Sakura started shaking. She had to defeat this form of Yukito’s. She didn’t want to hurt him. She could never. This was the boy she pined for since grade school. This was her brother’s best friend.

            “What a pitiful young child,” Yue thought aloud, and he raised Sakura’s chin so that their gazes met.

            “You are the one who sealed the cards away all by yourself?” he asked in disbelief.

            “Yukito…” she whispered, a pain rising in her chest.

            Kero slid in between them.

            “Sakura is perfectly capable!” he roared, “Get this trial over with!”

            “Patience, Cerberus,” he told the golden lion, “First…”

            Yue motioned to Tomoyo to come to him. Tomoyo froze, somehow knowing what was coming.

            “It is your duty to Clow Reed, Sealing Wand,” he hissed, “Come here.”

            Tomoyo only gritted her teeth and glared in defiance.

            “Make me.”

            “Very well,” he sighed, and with a wave of his hand, she was sliding to him and under his arm. Tomoyo struggled in his tight embrace, like a rabbit in the coil of a snake.

            “You can’t…” she hissed out.

            “You are part of this trial,” he spat, “I have no weapon. This is your fate, Sealing Wand.”

            “I LOVE HER! YOU CAN’T MAKE ME DO THIS!”

            “I’m sorry for your misguided emotions, but this love of yours needs to see Clow’s true power, which _you_ possess.”

            Yue slammed his hand into her stomach and twisted.

            “TOMOYO!” Sakura screamed.

            Tomoyo’s eyes rolled in the back of her head, as she screamed bloody murder. Her body twisted and contorted, glowing a golden light, instead of her usual pink.

            Yue now had a bow and arrow on his person, with Tomoyo’s weeping and distorted form crushed within with shape of the bow. Yue backed away and grabbed an arrow. It was a dirty gold color with red on the sharp metal tip, like blood.

            “Let’s begin, shall we?” Yue sneered, his eyes appearing more like ice blue cat eyes.

            The arrow shot from the bow, and soon multiple arrows appeared all shooting at once. Sakura braced herself, but someone grabbed her, shielding her with their body. It was Syaoran.

            “NO DON’T!” she shrieked, but his body turned silver, and the arrows banged against him, like hail on a tin roof. As more arrows came, Sakura drew a card.

            “ _SHIELD!_ ”

            The winged, metal plate came out, created a large casing around everyone. Syaoran didn’t let go until the arrows stopped and SHIELD disappeared.

            “Where did you learn…?” Sakura began, when she looked up at Syaoran as he slowly turned to normal again.

            “Just…something new,” he sighed, giving a nervous chuckle.

            “You scared me.”

            “Sorry.”

            Sakura hugged him quickly and got up.

            “Hey, Meiling, you don’t mind if I borrow your cousin a while longer?” she asked.

            “Sure,” Meiling smirked, “Go kick that guy’s ass.”

            Sakura grabbed Syaoran’s hand, and he transformed into his weapon form.

            “ _Soul of Metal, bend to my will. Create a new shape, that I may cut down adversity. Grant me your power! RELEASE!_ ”

            With their souls in perfect resonance, Syaoran morphed from a sword into a scythe, with warm greens and silvers. A warm, reddish-brown eye appeared at the top near the silver scythe blade. It was a form that was similar to what Maka and Soul had told them about on separate occasions.

            Despite being visibly nervous and shaking, Sakura posed ready to fight, determination shining on her face.

            “We _shall_ begin, Yue,” Sakura called out, “And if I can defeat you, you will let my best friend go!”

            Yue looked surprised at this sudden show of bravery from the young lady, but then he smiled, a smug look in his eyes.

            “Very well.”

* * *

            Yuuko had the Book of Clow in her office now, thanks to Sakura’s generosity, and she kept studying it, trying to form lesson plans for the young witch. It was difficult, for the second half of the book was blank. She took another puff of her pipe in frustration.

            “Why is the book not complete?” a voice asked at the door. It was Dr. Stein.

            “It’s because the poor girl doesn’t have all of the cards. All there is so far are descriptions of each card, but they talk less about what spells to do with them, and more about their personalities and basic things.”

            “Odd,” Stein inspected, “I was expecting something more cryptic from this Clow Reed. That handwriting is very feminine, actually. You sure he wrote this thing?”

            “Very perceptive of you, Stein,” she blinked, “I noticed it too. No, I don’t believe he wrote it.”

            “You know who it is,” he stated. At this, Yuuko froze.

            “You are incredibly perceptive,” she smiled.

            “I believe, she’s out going to save her previous weapon, from what I heard.”

            “Yes. Clow Reed’s right-hand woman took Tomoyo. The time for Sakura’s final trial is coming.”

            “What is this final trial?”

            “That is one of the things I don’t know.”

            At this, the book began to glow, and Yuuko and Stein immediately turned to it. Marie was coming to the office.

            “I brought COFFEEEeeeeuuwwww what is happening…”

            The pages began flipping in an invisible breeze, and a magic circle appeared. It was pink now, with markings similar to Clow Reed’s, but instead of a sun, a five-pointed star was in its place, with a sun to its left and a crescent moon on its right.

            When the pages stilled, the three adults saw new writing had appeared. Yuuko flipped through more of the book to see that all of the pages were now filled. When she got to the back flyleaf, it was as if an invisible hand and pen were writing something.

            _Go to the Desert._

            _The Trial is at hand._

_Get the Others._

            Yuuko seemed to immediately understand, as the message faded away, and Yuuko slammed the book shut. She got up and grabbed the coffee from Marie, adding her creamer, and chugging it down with such force that Marie and Stein couldn’t help but stare. Yuuko slammed the mug down and grabbed the book.

            “Get Maka, Soul, and the other,” she ordered, “We need to get to the desert. I’ll lead the way.”

            “What…what’s going on?” Marie stammered, as Stein grabbed his coffee, sipping it lazily.

            “Sakura needs this book,” Yuuko said sternly, “We need to get out to the desert.”

            Everyone ran out and searched for the other teachers.

* * *

            “DID MS. YUUKO SAY WHERE THIS TEAR THING WAS?!” Maka shouted to her husband over the motor of the motorcycle and the sand splaying everywhere. The couple wore sand goggles and cloaks due to the strong winds.

            “I DON’T THINK SO!” Soul shouted back, “SHE SAID TO LOOK FOR HER WHEN WE GOT IN THE DESERT OUT A LITTLE WAYS. I STILL DON’T SEE HER!”

            “KEEP LOOKING! SHE’S GOTTA BE…LOOK! OVER THERE!”

            Soul turned his head and saw a giant butterfly made of fabric hovering in the sky.

            “THINK THAT’S HER!” Soul shouted.

            “OKAY, GUYS!” Maka called to the others behind her, “THE TEAR THING IS THIS WAY! LET’S GO!”

            Black«Star and Tsubaki rode in a big Jeep behind them. Lord Death, Liz, Patti, Stein, and Marie were all crammed in the jeep as well. They all wore similar cloaks and sand goggles.

            “WHEEE! ROAD TRIP! ROAD TRIP! ROAD TRIP!” Patti cheered.

            “Patti, please sit down,” Liz whined, “There’s not enough room in this thing!”

            “THIS IS THE BEST SAND DRIVING DEVICE THE GREAT **BLACK** **«STAR** COULD _EVER_ BRING FOR THIS ADVENTURE!” Black«Star shouted in triumph.

            “Honey, please settle down,” Tsubaki whimpered nervously as the Jeep shook with every movement people made.

            “If I’d known _this_ was what we were taking, I would’ve brought Beelzebub,” Lord Death groaned, “But no, you insisted I neglect my skateboard and ride in this rickety piece of desert junk!”

            “IT’S NOT JUNK!” Black«Star hollered, “YOU PILE OF SHIT YOU CALL A DEATH GOD!”

            The Jeep started swerving in the sand, with everyone screaming and yelling, and Patti giggled and laughed the whole ride.

            Maka immediately thanked Soul for bringing the motorcycle _and_ the sand tires. He nodded in agreement.

* * *

            Sakura was hopping from tiled pillar to tiled pillar using JUMP, as Yue continued to shoot macabre-looking arrows at the meister and weapon pair. Meiling and Kero had already gotten to an area away from the trail at hand.

            “Sakura, you need to fight back and attack him!” Syaoran begged, his human self reflecting in the scythe’s blade, “You’ll lose if you don’t do something.”

            “But, he’s still technically Yukito!” Sakura cried, “I can’t hurt him!”

            Sakura found an area to hide and ducked in.

            She panted before settling down and trying to think of a strategy.

            “What card can I use without attacking?” she thought aloud. She immediately thought of WINDY and dug it out of the holster.

            Something had changed. Clow’s magic circle was no longer on the card. It was the magic circle with the five-pointed star. The cards were also pink, instead of red and orange. Regardless, Sakura stepped out, card in hand.

            “ _WINDY!_ ”

            Nothing happened.

            Sakura shouted it again.

            Nothing happened.

            Sakura was now terrified. She was able to use JUMP before, and it didn’t look different like this card did. She pulled the other cards out. They were now all pink with the new magic circle on the back, except for The VOID.

            “What’s going on?” she stuttered, as Yue appeared before her.

            “Something wrong, child?” he asked. He looked down at the cards in her hand. He eyes widened.

            “What have you done…?”

            “I…I didn’t…”

            “WHAT HAVE YOU DONE?!”

            He grabbed an arrow, and holding it like a spear, he struck down. Before it did any damage, Syaoran already slapped it out of Yue’s hand, his arm now with a grown out blade. He pointed it at Yue’s throat.

            “Don’t you dare touch my meister!” he hissed.

            What has your meister DONE TO CLOW’S CARDS?!”

            Syaoran turned to see a distraught Sakura, with now pink cards in her hand.

            “I…I didn’t do anything! I can’t…I can’t use them,” she choked.

            Sweating nervously, Syaoran held out his hand.

            “I guess we’ll have to show him our weapon and meister skills instead,” he assured her.

            Sakura didn’t want to fight this version of Yukito like this. However, she didn’t have very many options. Syaoran formed into his weapon form. With the spell she knew that worked, Sakura turned Syaoran into a scythe once again. She swung the blade towards Yue.

            Yue twisted the bow in his hand and it formed a scythe as well, with Tomoyo’s voice screaming in agony. He blocked Sakura’s attack, and soon they were in hand-to-hand combat.

            Pillar to pillar, they twirled and thrashed in a nerve-racking dance of who was the better fighter. It was clear that Sakura had more practice with wielding a weapon, but Yue was quick, dodging any attempts she made to knock Tomoyo’s tortured weapon form out of the demonic angel’s hands.

            And then got distracted. She wasn’t sure what it was. It happened too quickly. However, now Syaoran’s scythe form flung away into the air, and Sakura at a blade to her face, as she sat defensively on the ground.

            Tomoyo’s screaming form morphed back into the bow and arrows, and Yue aimed an arrow for Sakura’s heart.

            “The trial is over, child,” Yue burned into her. The arrow shot out.

            Tomoyo, fighting against her imprisoned state, leaped in front of the arrow.

            Puncturing through her stomach, the arrow soon disappeared when the damage was done. Blood spilled from Tomoyo’s mouth and she collapsed.

* * *

            Sakura’s dream…no, her nightmare was before her eyes. However, Tomoyo’s eyes were fighting to stay open, as Sakura sobbed her name over and over like a chant. Blood was escaping from the wound, some of it pooling on the ground. Sakura didn’t know someone could bleed this much. Not know what to do, she took her hat and pressed it over the wound, hoping to clot it.

            “Sa…ku…” Tomoyo choked through the blood.

            “DON’T TALK, TOMOYO,” Sakura panicked, “YOU’RE BLEEDING!”

            “You’ll…get blood…on th’outfit…” she chuckled before coughing out more blood.

            “PLEASE DON’T TALK TOMOYO!”

            “Sa…kura…don…don’t…cry.”

            This only made Sakura sob more. Yue stared down at them like they were ants.

            “Pity,” he sighed, “She wasn’t as powerful as I hoped. Just a useless weapon, like all the rest.”

            “DON’T YOU DARE TALK ABOUT HER LIKE THAT!” Sakura screeched. Yue’s brows furrowed.

            “Cerberus, I need you,” he commanded.

            The winged lion looked up in surprise.

            “What are you…”

            With a wave of his hand, Kero’s body morphed to Yue in a golden line, serpentine. It was then that Sakura saw it. Hearing Kero roaring in pain, the Creature of the Seal was now the golden scythe from her dream.

            “Unlike that girl, I’m able to get this one to work without protest,” he told her, “It’s easier when you’re morphing creatures that aren’t for themselves.”

            “WHAT ARE YOU DOING?!” Kero roared, “STOP THIS!”

            “The trial is over,” Yue spat, “She must die.”

            The blade came down.

            And then a snap.

            A cloth wrapped around the golden sickle of death. Looking back, a frighteningly angry Yuuko Ichhara yanked the scythe away, and released Kero as the winged lion he was before.

            “YOU BASTAAAARD!!!!”

            Maka flew at Yue with a black scythe clutched in her hands. It had a wing on the end, and the blade looked like piano keys, curling into the shape of the scythe blade. She slammed into Yue, and using Soul, she flung him aross the room and into one of the taller tiled pillars.

            Soul morphed out of his piano scythe form and bent over to check on Tomoyo.

            “You’re stopping the blood,” he murmured, “Good. That’s a good start. We’ll take her from here. We’ve got a doctor.”

            Stein and Marie waved from a distance.

            “Is she going to be okay?!” Sakura begged, and Maka bent low and put a hand on her shoulder.

            “She’ll be fine,” she assured, “We’re not letting one of our students die.”

            Yuuko glided to Sakura, with the Book of Clow in her hand.

            “You’ll need this,” Yuuko told her, “It now has more pages. There may be something that can help you.”

            Sakura looked up hopefully and grabbed the book. She flipped through it frantically. Soul and Maka carried Tomoyo off to Stein.

            “Something went wrong, I assume,” Yuuko stated.

            “Yes,” Sakura stammered, “The cards all changed, except for VOID. I don’t know what happened, but I can’t use them!”

            “You can’t use them with your weapon partner.”

            “Right.”

            “So you need a different kind of weapon. One that can be used with the cards.”

            “Ye…wait what?”

            “I saw this page here.”

            Yuuko flipped to the center of the book. There was a drawing of the magic circle that was on the back of the pink cards.

            “This is the older Sakura’s magic circle,” Yuuko told her, “So, the cards aren’t responding to you because the weapon you’re using isn’t designed for them.”

            “But…that makes no sense!” Sakura cried, “Meiling and Syaoran…”

            “…are descendents of Clow Reed. They can use Clow’s magic. Tomoyo was a weapon created by Clow, so she could be used. Now the cards don’t adhere to Clow’s magic. Instead, they respond to Sakura’s magic.”

            Sakura was fighting back tears. She didn’t know anyone that could use magic like that except the older Sakura, and she was dead or at least trapped in a tree in front of some guy’s shop.

            “Turn the page,” Yuuko smiled.

            Sakura looked doubtful, but she obeyed.

            The page read _Weapon of the Soul_. It illustrated a picture that looked like her reaching into her chest and pulling out a sword as an example. It read.

            _To my New Self,_

_At the time you’re reading this, the Clow Cards no longer respond to Clow’s magic. Please don’t be frightened. This means they now have two new masters: You and I._

Sakura’s doubt was replaced with curiosity, and she kept reading.

            _Before you were born, I met you. Your soul is very similar to mine. Attached to it is a weapon of my own. I used it for magic when I was young. With this, you will be able to use the cards again. You were meant to have powers similar to mine, and they will be unique to your own soul, but I hope that with this new Sealing Wand, that is now yours, you will follow the light of your own star._

_It does not turn into a human like many of your companions. It is an object, but a very powerful one. Treat it with care. You will still be able to have a weapon partner, even with this new tool at your disposal. It cannot reap souls like weapons in your world can._

_To obtain the Star Sealing Wand, place a hand over your heart…_

            Sakura did so. Yuuko held the book.

            _Chant this spell…_

“ _I call upon the power of my own Star. Light my way and grant me power. I, Sakura, swear to banish darkness and adversity with love, strength and courage. With this, I make a new contract! Come forth, O Star! RELEASE!_ ”

            With this, a light burst from Sakura’s chest. Sakura stared at it, not knowing what to do.

            “Sakura!” Yuuko shouted, “Reach into the light and grab the staff!”

            Sakura obeyed, putting her hand into the light in her chest. It was as if a hole was in her: an endless black hole. Then she felt something long and metallic and grabbed it.

            It was painful. She felt as if her heart was slowly being ripped out of her chest, but she kept pulling.

            Syaoran awoke in his human form, far away from this, and he looked to see what was going on.

            Sakura continued to pull the metal object from her chest. It was arduous, and Sakura felt like all of the blood left her head. She continued to pull until finally the Star Sealing Wand was in her grasp.

            It was pink, like the previous Sealing Wand, Tomoyo’s original weapon form, and it had a gold and red jewel pointed end on the bottom. However, the top was a pink right sitting upright with tiny white wings on wither side of it. In the center of the ring was a gold, five-pointed star, its points each touching an edge of the pink ring.  A red, round jewel was in the gold mast that held both the top and the staff together.

            Sakura stared at it, awestruck. Yuuko smiled. Everyone stared in awe.

            Everyone, except for Yue, who soon was on his feet again. He flew towards Sakura with great speed. She pulled out the card she intended to use before.

            “ _WINDY!_ ”

            The spirit came out and wrapped itself around Yue, like chains. As much as he struggled, he couldn’t break free. Sakura came towards him.

            “I beat you,” she said sternly.

            “The trial ended,” he gritted.

            “I still beat you,” she smiled.

            At this, Yue let out a sigh.

            “I suppose I should grant your desire now. So…have at it. What does a child like you desire?”

            Sakura paused before she began speaking.

            “You hurt my friend. I know it’s part of what she’s supposed to do, but you still hurt her. You may have been doing what your master commanded, but that doesn’t make it right.”

            Yue was silent.

            “Do you like being ruled by Clow Reed?”

            “I am a tool for his gain. I have no room for ‘liking’ anything. He tells me to do things, and I obey. That’s how it works.”

            “Hmmm…well, then I guess what I want is…to work together with me. I know I don’t seem…well, I know I’m not the strongest witch ever. I’ve still got things I need to learn, but…I know I’ll get better. I don’t want you to feel like you’re obligated to do things for me. You’re not a tool for anyone’s gain. Yukito was never that way for me, and…I don’t think you’re that way either. If I’m going to be your master of some sort, I don’t want you to be a ‘something.’ You’re a ‘someone’, and I think we can work together.”

            He frowned. This wasn’t what he was expecting. He expected rage. He expected her to kill him in a matter of senses. A mutual partnership seemed unheard of. He and Cerberus were creations used for people’s gain, and this girl wanted him to be her…comrade of sorts. As bizarre as it seemed, it enticed him a little. His soul seemed drawn to this kindness in some way.

            Yue stood up.

            “Close your eyes.”

            “Huh?”

            “Just…close your eyes.”

            Sakura obeyed.

            “ _As the Guardian of the Cards, I recognize you as their true master. You are a friend to everyone around you, and your kindness will shape a new future. You have passed the final trial._ ”

            Clow’s magic circle appeared below him and Kero, and it faded away to be replaced with Sakura’s magic circle.

            “WHAT IS THIS?!” Kaho cried, fighting Black«Star’s grasp, “GUARDIAN OF CLOW, WHAT IS THE MEANING OF THIS?!”

            “She has passed,” Yue stated.

            “YOU ARE CLOW’S CREATION!!!”

            “And now, I am her master. Be gone, Kaho. You need to return to him.”

            Screaming in rage, she kicked Black«Star in the crotch before taking the Bell of the Moon and disappearing with a wave of her hand. Tsubaki let Touya out of his cage and quickly rushed over to a hunched over Black«Star.

            Suddenly, the strange dimension began to shake. The pillars began to crumble into tiled messes into the darkness below.

            With swift movements, everyone gathered together before escaping through the rip from which they entered.


	24. Choice

AN: Let’s get a smooth transition into the next part. Some things need explaining, right?

* * *

            Sakura was a sobbing mess when Tomoyo finally woke up. She now had small stitches near her stomach and on a lover part of her back, thanks to Stein meticulous handiwork. He told her that she needed a week or two for it to heal, and Meiling volunteered to bring her any missing homework and class work. Syaoran took good notes, so he promised to make copies for her as study material.

            The Star Wand, as Sakura now called it, seemed to transform into a sort of miniature size once the trial had ended. The main golden star with the ring and little wings remained the same in its smaller state, but the bottom half now looked like a key. Sakura saw that she could put a chain through the shrunken trinket and wore it around her neck, like a new piece of jewelry.

            The teachers didn’t know what they were going to do. Sakura had a new “weapon” of sorts. Tsubaki questioned on whether she really needed a partner now.

            “She’s still a meister!” Maka argued, “Of course, she can still have a partner!”

            “But, at the same time, she’s a special witch that needs to use this special scepter in order to fight!” Tsubaki shook her head, “This is a difficult situation. She needs to learn how to master her witch powers, right? A weapon partner would be good for that, but now she can’t use a weapon partner to perform magic!”

            Everyone was split on the issue. Yuuko remained silent, thinking as she carefully read pages of the newly formed Book of Clow. She closed the book and finally spoke.

            “There will be new followers to come,” she said in a serious tone. Everyone turned to her.

            “New followers?” Soul asked, “Like…more of these spirit things?”

            “No,” she answered, “Now, that the spirits of Clow, now the Clow Cards, are out of Clow Reed’s hold, he’ll turn to the people of this world. Despite capturing these souls, he will find a way to recruit new souls for his biding. I believe your world calls them ‘kishin,’ correct?”

            Everyone seemed to immediately understand. It would now be like Kishin Asura and his many followers. A new type of madness would reign, and they would have to prepare the students.

            “Just like old times, huh?” Black«Star muttered.

            “There’s one other thing,” Maka wondered out loud, “It’s been said that Sakura has a new objective with these Clow Cards. What is it, exactly?”

            Yuuko smiled a little and got up.

            “We will need to go over to Sakura and the others to explain this.”

* * *

            She was resting her head on Tomoyo’s bed, as the young weapon girl did her schoolwork. Syaoran, Meiling, Kero, Touya, and a sleeping Yukito were in the small hospital-like room as well.

            “She hasn’t left your side for a few days,” Syaoran sighed, addressing Tomoyo.

            “I noticed,” she chuckled sadly, “The poor thing…she’s exhausted.”

            “So…what happens now?” Touya grunted, Yukito propped up next to him on the room’s couch.

            “We’re waiting for Sakura’s teachers to give us some answers,” Kero replied, “I’m not even so sure myself.”

            The door to the room opened, and everyone turned. Yukito grew wings once again, turning into Yue.

            “Shit…” Touya groaned, “Not again…”

            Everyone crammed into the room with foldout chairs and sat in a huddle. Tomoyo shook Sakura’s shoulder a little, and the young meister jolted up, drool coming down from the corner of her mouth.

            “Whu…Wah…” she mumbled.

            “Yuuko and the others are here to talk to us,” Tomoyo told her.

            Sakura sat up straight, wiping drool off her chin and mouth.

            “All of you children will be given an objective starting today,” Maka addressed, “I’ve already spoken with Lord Death, and it’s been agreed that all of the students here will be fighting to gather misguided souls that follow Clow Reed.”

            Everyone listened intently.

            “When the teachers and I were younger, souls that followed the path of evil were called kishin. Some of them followed the demon god, Asura, who was defeated long ago. However, Clow Reed is now fulfilling this role now in our current situation. Many evil souls will appear in all parts of the world, and you as students of the DWMA will eradicate them. If they are red, which mostly likely they will be, weapon partners will be allowed to consume these evil souls as…a sort of power boost. We required each student to capture 99 of these souls and a witch’s soul to become a weapon for Lord Death in the past. However, due to a new contract with the witch’s domain, that is no longer a practice.

            “Instead, Lord Death will track these souls and place them up on a board in the main hall. These will be missions for all of you. You will pick one at a time, as you are able, and complete each mission in full. Some may take a few hours of your day. Some may take days or weeks. Whichever the case, this is what we ask of every student here, not just Sakura. She will do this as well as her main objective.”

            Once Maka finished, she sat down. She grabbed Soul’s hand, and their fingers interlaced.

            “What exactly _is_ my master’s main objective?” Yue asked sternly. This was when Yuuko stood up and sat near Sakura.

            “Sakura’s objective is to set free all of the souls in the Clow Cards, separating the soul that is inside each one and absorbing the power that is attached,” Yuuko said clearly. Yue was livid.

            “That…” he gritted through his teeth.

            “Do you even know what those souls are?” Yuuko snapped at him, and he went silent. He shook his head.

            “They are soul…innocent ones, spliced apart and put back together with magic,” Yuuko explained, “Clow Reed has manipulated the souls of the dead in order to create this form of magic. With my guidance and the new instructions in the Book of Clow, Sakura will split the soul and magic contained into two separate parts, releasing each soul to find its resting place. That is what the Star Wand is for.”

            Everyone was pale at this. The idea that innocent souls were captured like this especially made the teachers nauseous. Yuuko continued.

            “Absorbing this power, Sakura will be able to grow powerful enough to stop Clow Reed. However, there is a price she must pay, and the DWMA staff know this well.”

            “Madness,” Stein said under his breath.

            “Yes,” Yuuko went on, “Sakura…your power will grow, but each bit that you take in will wear down your mental state. This is where a weapon partner, and at the very least all of your friends and family, will be very important. As I understand it, you have an Anti-demon Wavelength. That’s good. It will help keep whatever madness stems in you at bay. It will be more effective, however, when you resonate with a partner.”

            Sakura remembered a lesson Maka gave. In soul resonance, a meister sends soul waves to the weapon, and the weapon amplifies them back. It was like an amplifier for an electric guitar. So, even with this Star Wand she obtained, she would still have a partner.

            “I’ll…still be a meister?” she asked.

            “Of course, dear,” Yuuko smiled gently. Tomoyo and Syaoran seemed to both show signs of relief. They were still needed after all.

            “When fighting kishin, your resonance will grow, and with that bond, your power will grow,” Yuuko continued, “It’s important that you have a partner. Who that partner is…that’s for you to decide. Please know, however, that your teachers and I will help you all with every step.”

            “I have a question,” Sakura interrupted. Yuuko gave a nod and listened.

            “Are…Kero and Yue weapons as well?”

            Everyone seemed shocked at the idea.

            “Well, I’ve had that dream where Tomoyo dies and there’s a hole in my chest, and a golden scythe comes come to strike me and Ms. Albarn. However, the older version of me stopped it in a new version of this dream, and she shouted Kero’s name, as the scythe turned into something. I couldn’t see want it was. And Yukito’s said that he has a weapon form, but it’s a shield or something.”

            “That was indeed Cerberus,” Yuuko nodded, “And Yukito’s weapon form is the same as Yue’s”

            The two beings stared at each other and then back at Yuuko, who led Sakura away from Tomoyo’s hospital bed.

            “Come here and hold your master’s hands,” Yuuko instructed. Kero and Yue obeyed, each placing a hand, or paw in Kero’s case, in each of Sakura’s two hands.

            “Mrs. Nakatsukasa?” Yuuko asked, as Tsubaki stood up, “I believe you specialize in this, yes?”

            Immediately understanding what Yuuko was asking, she walked over to Sakura and the two creatures. She instructed them.

            “Close your eyes.”

            Kero and Yue obeyed.

            “Feel your soul wavelength. Let a picture form in your mind. Focus your soul wavelength on that picture…”

            As they followed her instructions, the two creatures twisted and morphed. Kero glowed gold where as Yue glowed silver, and they transformed before everyone’s eyes.

            Kero was now, instead of being a golden scythe as expected, a golden spear, like one used by a Roman soldier. Yue was now a silver and blue shield, that sat comfortably on Sakura’s arm. Everyone sat there, awestruck.

            “It seems you will have three weapon partners from now on,” Yuuko smirked.

            “Three?” Sakura enquired.

            “Kero, Yue, and of course, your student partner,” Yuuko chirped.

            “Is that allowed?” Tomoyo blurted out.

            “These two beings deem Sakura as their master, so really, it can’t be helped,” Yuuko shrugged, “They will be with her, whether she’s allowed to have three partners or not.”

            “I’ll have to talk to Kid again,” Maka sighed heavily.

            “Now, Sakura, who will be your student partner?” Yuuko asked, smiling.

            Sakura felt everyone’s eyes on her. The weight around her felt heavy. She let go of Kero and Yue, who transformed back into their true selves. She looked at Tomoyo…then Syaoran.

            “I…uh…I need…INEEDTOTHINKEXCUSEME!” she stammered, and she ran out the door. Maka was about to follow her, but Yuuko stopped her.

            “She’ll be back,” she assured.

            Syaoran walked out of the room as well.

* * *

            Sakura stood at a balcony, looking over Death City. She was lost. She had all of this responsibility now, and she didn’t know which weapon she would be relying on more. She heard footstep behind her and turned.

            “Something told me you'd be up here,” Syaoran sighed, as he came over and leaned on the balcony next to Sakura.

            “Why did you follow me?” she asked.

            “Figured you’d need someone to talk to…sort out your thoughts.”

            Sakura nodded.

            “Tell me what you’re thinking.”

            “I thought…I’d be Tomoyo’s meister again soon after, and I’d graduate out of here with all of this stuff behind me. I see now that’s not happening. When she said I could choose which partner, I was sure I’d want to partner back with Tomoyo again, but…”

            There was a long pause.

            “I just…I don’t want her to get hurt again because of me. I also don’t want to see you hurt either. It’s all so…I feel comfortable with _both_ of you, and I don’t know really if I could choose one or the other.”

            Syaoran nodded. As badly as he wanted to stay Sakura’s partner, he also wanted what was best for her, which was something he couldn’t decide. He patted her shoulder in an attempt to comfort her.

            “You need to do what feels right to you. Calm yourself for a bit and just think. Weigh your options. When you’ve decided, we’ll be waiting for you, okay?”

            Sakura nodded.

            “I’ve enjoyed being your weapon. Even if we get paired up differently this time around, I just…wanted you to know that. I hope that…you’ve enjoyed being my meister.”

            With that, Syaoran left. Sakura looked at the drowsy, setting sun then closed her eyes. She took a deep breath and cleared her head. Suddenly, he realized what she wanted to do.

* * *

            “I’ll keep being Syaoran’s meister,” Sakura answered when she came back, “I know it sounds weird, but…seeing as we’re already moved in and we work so well together, I think that’s what I’ll do.”

            The teachers approved and started filing out of the room. Only Yuuko stayed behind.

            “Well, I guess that saves us from moving boxes again,” shrugged Meiling.

            Tomoyo smiled happily as Syaoran only sat there, stunned and flushed red.

            “Remind me when I leave here to sew you a new uniform,” Tomoyo told Sakura.

            “New uniform?”

            “Of course! Your old uniform is ruined, and we can wear whatever we want, so I’ll make you a new outfit!”

            “Is that all you ever think about?” Meiling shook her head.

            “That and things I don’t want to share in public,” Tomoyo shrugged. Yuuko giggled as everyone blushed.

            “Then, we’ll just make your living arrangements permanent,” Yuuko nodded, “I’ll take this book and start making lesson plans. When I’m done, Sakura, you can have it back.”

            With that, Yuuko left the room. Sakura went over to Tomoyo’s bedside.

            “I’m…sorry, Tomoyo,” Sakura mumbled, “I know I said we’d be partners forever in the beginning of all this, and…”

            Tomoyo put a finger to her friend’s lips.

            “It’s fine, Sakura,” she assured. Sakura didn’t look convinced.

            “You’re still my best friend in the whole wide world, whether I’m your weapon or not,” Tomoyo told her, “Are you happy with your choice?”

            Sakura looked over at Syaoran, who was still red faced, but he smiled a little at her, his cheeks dimming down a bit. She smiled back.

            “Yeah…” she answered, “I’m…actually _very_ happy.”

            “Then, so am I,” Tomoyo beamed, “And, that’s all I need.”

* * *

            Eventually, Sakura stopped sleeping by Tomoyo’s bedside, due to her friend’s insistence that she get a good night’s rest. Sakura soon began her private lessons with Yuuko and got the Book of Clow back. She and Syaoran started being in the same class, along with Tomoyo and Meiling.

            And then they came. Madness grew like a plague over the globe. Kishin formed, chanting unknown ciphers or just Clow Reed’s name in praise. As the numbers grew, so did the number of DWMA students. The school was in full capacity now, and so was Lord Death’s new list.


	25. Child

AN: Less of a chapter and…more of a segway.

* * *

             Time passed, as the group grew stronger. Maka no longer had that scary dream. However, she did start dreaming about Crona again.

            The non-binary human floated in front of her, like a ghost. Their eyes were blank, but eventually Crona’s dead face curled into a warm smile. A slit formed on their head, opening into an eye. Everything glowed white instead of black now, and Sakura awoke to the sound of a cranky baby.

* * *

            It was the middle of the night, and after nine months of puking, and binge eating, and a growing bellies, a baby girl was introduced to the Albarn-Evans family. This baby girl also liked to cry because of a dirty diaper, and Maka slammed a pillow on her face in a groan.

            “Makaaaa,” her shark-toothed husband mumbled, “Your turn.”

            “Nuuuuuuuuuuuuu…” she whined, as she sat up. Putting on her game face, she raced to the baby’s room.

            “It’s okay, Angel!” she cooed, “Mommy’s here! OH! Oh…you’ve left me a present. How…thoughtful.”

            The crying calmed to a low burbling as Maka quickly changed the girl’s diaper. She rocked the small child a few times, and it fell quickly back to sleep.

            Maka fell onto the bed, which woke the new father up a little.

            “Hey, Soul?” she murmured.

            “What,” he groaned.

            “No more carrots at dinnertime,” she instructed, “I think that’s what’s making her poop so bad.”

            “Sounds great,” he mumbled into the pillow, “Wanna know what else is great?”

            “What’s that?”

            “Sleeping.”

            “Agreed.”

            Maka drifted back to sleep.

* * *

            Morning hit them like a train, as Soul made the both of them coffee. Angel was sitting in Maka’s lap, as she fed the tiny newborn girl her bottle. As soon as she finished giving the little tyke a burp, Maka finally took a sip of coffee.

            “So…it’s carrots…” Soul muttered, “Figures…I never did well with carrots either. That’s what my brother tells me.”

            “Yeah, and she seems to cry for food around five, so that will be her dinnertime, instead of six,” Maka planned out, half awake, “We can eat dinner after she’s done. I figured out that much…and it’s only taken me two weeks? I feel like fucking Einstein.”

            “Hey now, what your language in front of the baby,” Soul teased. Maka stuck her tongue out at him, knowing she said that to _him_ before.

            “Thank Death he gave me this paid maternity leave,” Maka sighed, “Quite a miracle, considering what the rest of the country does.”

            Soul nodded. Teaching wasn’t a huge income for them, and they needed a jumpstart while they were taking care of the baby. Soul was able to go out and teach while Maka recuperated. As much as she wanted to go back and teach, prove that she didn’t need special treatment as a woman or a mother, giving birth proved to be exhausting, considering how tiny she actually was. She tried going back the first week, but she ended up passing out.

            “How’s the Star team doing?” Maka asked. She surprisingly wasn’t referring to Black«Star and Tsubaki, but to Sakura and her friends. It was their nickname she gave them.

            “They’re doing great, actually,” Soul told her. He pulled out his teacher file as he munched on his cereal. Maka trotted over to Angel’s baby carrier, and placed her inside. Placing the carrier on the chair next to her, she rocked it and listen to her hubby tell her what was happening at DWMA.

            “Sakura’s grades are improving a little,” he began, “No more Cs. Meiling isn’t improving as quickly, but she’s getting more Bs in her classes. Syaoran and Tomoyo are the same as usual, the overachiever and Little Ms. Prodigy.

            “They’re doing well catching souls. Sakura and Syaoran have punched in that they caught ten kishin souls. Meiling and Tomoyo have caught eight.”

            “Pretty good for nine months and two weeks,” Maka nodded, “And this is the first time the academy’s done this since Kishin Asura, so…this is great. How’re the other kids doing?”

            Soul gave reports on the souls collected from each pair of kids. He shared stories he heard, funny classroom incidents, and what the other teachers were up to. Maka smiled and laughed quietly so as to not wake up Angel. However, one story had Maka in stitches, and she laughed louder than she should have.

            Strangely, Angel didn’t stir.  Checking to make sure she wasn’t dead, Maka saw the little baby sleeping soundly.

            “Huh…she sleeps like you, Soul,” Maka smirked. They both laughed at this, as the baby slept peacefully.

            They agreed to have Maka come back to teaching next week. The new mother was going to keep teaching, even if she had to carry the baby in a sling down the hall, such was the ways of the stubborn Maka Albarn.

* * *

            Despite some staring, Maka did surprisingly well. The baby was surprisingly well behaved, living up to her namesake. Many of the girls and a few boys would come and hold Angel.

            Sakura was one of the few that did it every time the baby was in class. The baby seemed to like her the most, aside from her own parents of course. After a while, Sakura became the Albarn-Evans babysitter.

* * *

            Sakura buttoned the last button down on her white dress shirt was a flared collar and tucked it in her pink, pleated skirt. Pulling a black, V-neck sweater over her head, she brushed everything down on her uniform and checked everything in the mirror. A pink cherry blossom patch was placed on the right side of the sweater.

            She turned around. Sakura loved her new uniform so much that Tomoyo sized it or made new piece anytime she grew. Her figure seemed to change a lot over the time she was reaping kishin souls. Her hips were wider, her legs were longer, and her chest was only slightly more pronounced. She was well endowed like Tomoyo was, but they were still noticeable.

            “Sakura? Breakfast is ready!” Syaoran called from the kitchen.

            “Be right there!” she called back.

            She took one last look in the mirror. She was sixteen now. It was April 1st, and she felt like she was glowing. She fixed up her still-short-as-ever auburn hair, which still had a piece of hair standing up like some sort of cowlick. With a smile glued on her face, she skipped out the door to be greeted with a full birthday pancake breakfast.

 

**End of ACT 1.**


	26. Faint

AN: It’s been a while since the last update. You ready? I’m not, and I’m the writer. Been busy with summer courses and emotions, so…yeah. Time to get back into the swing. **_Tsubasa: Reservoir Chronicle spoilers to follow._** Time for the CLAMP meta stuff!  * cracks knuckles *

* * *

**ACT 2**

* * *

            While her eyelids feathered shut, she leaned her face against her hand. She wouldn’t fall asleep. She would rest her eyes for a moment.

            Classes were dragging on, and Sakura was feeling sleepier by the week. She would occasionally dose off in class, but it was becoming more frequent. She was aware, yet she had to shut her eyes. Just…for a moment.

            It was the travelers from the desert again. One of them looked like her, wearing a Victorian-like, plum-colored dress and kneeling on the ground. Sakura viewed everything now from this girl’s perspective. She could feel tears streaming from her eyes, but she didn’t know why. She saw someone in front of her, about to walk away. Somehow, she felt if this person left, she’d never see him again.

            She reached for the person’s arm. Turning around, Sakura recognized the other traveler, the one that looked like Syaoran.

            However, he wasn’t kind and gentle, like in her other visions. His face was blank, his clothes were torn to shreds, blood caked on his wounds with a few drops on his face, and his right eye was blue.

            In her mind’s eye, she saw the other two travelers, a dark and tanned warrior and a blonde magician. The magician was unconscious, blood flowing from his left eye, which was closed. The warrior had him in his arms. With horror, Sakura realized why his eye was bleeding.

            This Syaoran’s blue eye…it belonged to the magician.

            She turned her attention back towards this version of Syaoran, gazing at him from her other self’s perspective once again. She could feel herself sobbing. Without any control, she felt her lips move.

            “Syaoran-kun…don’t…don’t go…”

            Something changed. There was no soul in this Syaoran’s body. He moved almost like an automaton. And yet, Sakura saw the stone-cold expression of this Syaoran grow into one of hesitation. She saw it in him. He didn't want to leave.

            It didn’t last. His face immediately went back to a soulless expression, and he tugged his hand from her grip.

            Sakura felt her heart ache, as this traveler disappeared into the darkness before them.

            Everything went black, and the last thing Sakura heard was her own body hitting the floor and the sound of students gasping.

* * *

            Awake in an infirmary bed, Sakura felt voices echo around her, and her vision blurred and spun around her. She covered her face and ears as best as she could. Her eyes stung, and she began to rub them, trying to see straight.

            Something wet touched her hand. A washcloth. She grabbed it and wiped her eyes. Finally she opened her eyes. Tomoyo and Meiling stood to her right. Syaoran sat on her left.

            “Oh thank goodness!” Tomoyo cried, “Are you okay?”

            “You totally passed out in class,” Meiling joined in.

            Syaoran didn’t say anything. He just looked at her, concerned, waiting for some sort of answer. Sakura put her hand on top of his, trying to assure him.

            “I’m okay,” she finally spoke out.

            No one looked convinced.

            “What did you see?” Syaoran asked.

            “Huh?” Sakura blinked, turning her attention more to him.

            “You talk about your dreams a lot…” he answered, “You sometimes have them when you doze off in class. This time you were crying. What did you see?”

            Sakura frowned, looking down at her hand that was holding onto Syaoran’s. Her mind flashed to the travelers, the princess crying for her friend not to leave.

            “It was the travelers again,” she said.

            “The wha-?” Meiling cut in.

            “Does this have to do with the people you saw in the desert dream?” Tomoyo enquired.

            “Yeah…” Sakura answered, “They’ve played out like an epic fantasy tale. I…I’ve seen worlds so different and colorful…It…it was nice, but…sometimes they get scary…flashes of Syaoran and a doppelganger…a strange man with, heh…a funny butt chin…”

            Everyone snickered, and then Sakura continued.

            “Anyways, these travelers reached a tension point of some sort…one of them in the group was evil…and he left…. He looked a lot like…Syaoran.”

            Everyone went slightly pale. Syaoran furrowed his brow.

            “It doesn’t make any sense,” Sakura went on, “All of my dreams have involved them. It’s as if I’m gazing into a storybook. I see everything, and yet I can’t do anything to change the events, no matter how hard I try.”

            “So…what happened this time?” Syaoran asked.

            “I was seeing everything sort of through the princess’s eyes.”

            “The one that looks like you?”

            “Yeah…she was crying…sobbing more like it, and she was begging her version of Syaoran not to leave. I guess…that’s why my eyes are so red. I was so absorbed in her emotions that I started feeling them too. That seems to happen when I’m viewing everything in her mind’s eye. She’s…so sad when she looks at him…

            “I just…I wish I knew why I was seeing all of this…if it’s some sort of part of _my_ mind, or if it’s something that actually happened. I…I need to talk to Ms. Yuuko again.”

            “You’ve told her about this before?” Tomoyo asked.

            “Yeah…but she said she couldn’t answer,” Sakura frowned, “She said I had to release more Spirits of Clow and gain more power before I can get the answers I need. Still, doing that only makes me more tired…”

            “I think you should go to Ms. Yuuko as well,” Tomoyo nodded, “We need to know what’s going on.”

            “I’ll go with you,” Syaoran cut in.

            “Nah, I’ll be fine,” Sakura shook her head as she started getting out of bed. She chugged the water at her bedside and leaped up, wobbling a bit. Everyone twitched, waiting to catch her.            

            “I feel much better now!” she chirped, “And besides, her office is close to the infirmary.”

            She brushed off her uniform skirt and then walked out the door. No one was convinced she was okay.

* * *

            “I’ve released more Spirits, Ms. Yuuko,” Sakura pouted, “Now, will you PLEASE tell me the reason for these dreams about the travelers?”

            Yuuko looked up from her work, blowing out smoke from her long pipe. She had her hair down and wore a Chinese-style dress.

            “I suppose I can tell you now,” she smiled, and Sakura sighed in relief.

            “I apologize for making you wait, Sakura,” the teacher sighed, “It has to do with equivalent exchange.”

            “Does this have to do with the shop you previously owned?” Sakura asked.

            “It does. In order for things to be given, things need to be taken. Normally, I cannot reveal such information until the given time it’s meant to be given. However, if the appropriate compensation is presented.”

            “What do I need to give you?”

            “For the answer to your question, I’ll need a small piece of magic from you, one of the fragments you’ve collected from the Spirits of Clow.”

            Sakura raised an eyebrow, but she nodded slowly. Yuuko reached towards Sakura’s stomach, and it began to glow. Phasing her hand inside, Yuuko pulled from her stomach a rather unique-looking feather. It was long and angular, with a heart shape marking on the white, downy surface.

            “This will do it,” Yuuko smiled. She pulled up a small, cylindrical glass container, and the feather disappeared inside.

            “Now, your dreams about the travelers…” Yuuko began. Sakura sat at attention.

            “Those are memories,” the witch explained, “Memories of a world of the past. They contain the experiences of a different version of yourself and her companions. It has nothing to do with the feathers you are receiving. You started having these dreams before you were releasing the Spirits, correct?”

            Sakura nodded.

            “Ah…very good, so these feathers won’t affect that.”

            Sakura seemed confused at Yuuko’s relief.

            “But why do I have to see them? Why am I seeing these things?”

            “These visions are part of Ms. Sakura’s motive to defeating Clow Reed. She’s showing you her visions in order for you to try and understand. These are things she’s seen from other dimensions. She knows what happens to the vast majority of the different dimensions where different Sakuras exist.”

            “So…her reason for doing all of this…has to do with different versions of myself? Sending these Clow Cards to our world, making us fight Clow Reed…”

            “It is part of the price she must pay for her wish to be granted.”

* * *

            Ms. Sakura had asked Yuuko for a wish. It must’ve happened when Yuuko was owner of that wish-granting shop. Maybe it was while Ms. Sakura was trapped in that cherry tree. Sakura wasn’t so sure, but she could only ask Yuuko so much. Despite gaining some answers, she now had more questions.

            Sakura was less tired now, but her head was starting to hurt from over-thinking. She went over to the large board in the hall to find a kishin mission. Seeing one, she reached for it, but touched someone’s hand that was reaching for it by accident.

            “Oh! I’m sorry!” Sakura yelped.

            “Oh, no trouble, miss,” said a boy with a British accent.

            Looking over, she saw it was coming from a young man with raven hair, deep blue eyes, and silver rimmed, circular glasses. He was dressed a dark suit with a coordinating tie. He turned his gaze over to Sakura, whose cheeks were a slight pink. He was handsome. Maybe not as handsome as she found Yukito to be, but he was still attractive. He also appeared to be around her age. In his hand was the mission card she was reaching for.

            “Is this the one you wanted?” he asked.

            “Oh! Um…yes! Thank you!” she smiled, taking it from him. After putting it in her pocket, she decided to strike up a conversation.

            “So…are you a new student?” she asked.

            “I’ve been here for a few days, but yes, I am.”

            “Oh, well, it’s nice to meet you! I’m Sakura.”

            “Sakura Kinomoto?”

            “Huh…uh…yeah!”

            “I’ve been hearing that name a few times in the halls.”

            “Oh…hehe…”

            “My name is Eriol. Eriol Hiragizawa.”

            They shook hands.

            “It’s nice to meet you,” he said gently.

            “It’s nice to meet you too!” she chirped, “So, Eriol, where are you from?”

            “England.”

            “Really? I would’ve guessed Japan, based on your last name.”

            “Well, I don’t know very many people from Japan that speak English very clearly like I do.”

            “Oh…well…that’s true.”

            Sakura blushed, hoping her English didn’t sound strange to him.

            “Are you from Japan, Miss Sakura?”

            “Oh, yes! I’m from a small town in Tomoeda.”

            “Your English is excellent, if I may say.”

            “Oh, really? Thank goodness! I was worried. I _have_ been coming here for a while…and some of my old school curriculum had me learning English. I wasn’t very good then.”

            “Well, you’re doing very well, now.”

            Sakura started to giggle, and Eriol smile gently, taking Sakura’s hand.

            “Are you a meister, Miss Sakura?”

            “Uh…yeah! I am. I’m also a witch. What about you?”

            “I am also a meister.”

            “Wonderful! I already have a weapon partner. His name’s Syaoran.”

            Eriol seemed to raise an eyebrow.

            “You need a weapon?”

            Sakura stopped.

            “I’ve heard you're the first meister to not need a weapon.”

            “Well…it’s complicated.”

            “Your weapon is around your neck, isn’t it?”

            Sakura felt her breath catch. She touched the Star Key that she under her school shirt. It hung around her neck and hovered over her heart.

            “How…How did you…”

            “I am the same as you.”

            Sakura bemused.

            “I am a wizard that doesn’t need a weapon partner.”

            Her eyes widened. He didn’t have a weapon partner, and he was able to use magic. The fact that he sensed her Star Key must’ve meant he was already very powerful. Even an ability like Soul Perception can’t sense what her Star Key actually was.

            “Have your teachers been teaching you how to use magic with that key of yours?”

            “O…Only a little. I…I have a private teacher.”

            She didn’t want to tell him about Ms. Sakura, and she wasn’t sure if she should mention Ms. Yuuko, as she could only go so far in her lessons.

            “She doesn’t teach you how to fully use your powers though?” he asked.

            “Well, I’m still learning, and…”

            “She can’t give all the information you need, I’m guessing. It has to do with her powers.”

            Sakura felt herself stiffen, as if in fear, but her heartbeat was strangely slow and calm.

            “Understandable. Some witches are limited in the use of their power. Listen, my knowledge in magic has given me a high standing here in the Academy. It happened when I enrolled. If you’d like, I can give you lessons: lessons your teachers can’t teach you yet.”

            This was exciting. Sakura was talking to someone who might be on the same level of power as her, and he knew more about magic! He could give her information she wouldn’t need to give away feathers for. She wouldn’t have to sacrifice power, and she could be powerful enough to defeat Clow Reed.

            At the same time, she’d be turning her back on Yuuko and Ms. Sakura by doing this. If she wasn’t receiving information yet for some things, it must’ve been for a good reason. Still, the idea of learning more from this new acquaintance seemed exciting.

            He was closer to her somehow, not enough for their noses to touch, but just enough that she could feel his breath. It was strangely cold. Maybe that had to do with his powers. She couldn’t tell.

            “Are you interested?” he asked, his eyes now more intense, his gaze piercing into hers. She couldn’t move.

            From a distance, Syaoran and Tomoyo spied on this scene. While Tomoyo pondered with interest, Syaoran was seeing red.

            “Well, it seems a prince charming has graced before our young princess here!” Tomoyo smirked.

            Syaoran felt his blood boil. Something about this guy didn’t seem right, and Tomoyo’s allegory wasn’t helping.

            “Didn’t you say you and Sakura were going to go kishin hunting today?” Tomoyo asked him. She was right. He did say that.

            “Well, then you might want to go over there and remind her,” Tomoyo smiled, “The prince’s charms might be distracting her. She might get swept away.”

            Tomoyo winked, and Syaoran raised an eyebrow. Shaking it off, he ran over to his meister.

            “HEY, YOU HAVE A MISSION PICKED OUT?” he shouted, making both Eriol and Sakura jump.

            “AGH! Oh! Yeah, I do!” Sakura answered in surprise. Looking between the two boys, she decided to make introductions.

            “Eriol, this is my weapon partner, Syaoran,” she gestured, “Syaoran, this is Eriol! He’s a new witch and meister!”

            When Eriol smiled innocently, Syaoran merely glared.

            “Well, it’s a pleasure to meet you both,” Eriol finally broke through the awkward silence, “Good luck on your mission!”

            “Thank you!” Sakura smiled, taking Syaoran’s arm and starting to walk away.

            “See you later!” she waved, and the mysterious young man waved back as the pair joined Tomoyo and Meiling.

* * *

            With a slash of Syaoran’s scythe form, the kishin split in two, swirling away until all that was left was it’s red, glowing soul.

            Another disturb disciple of Clow was now defeated, and Sakura grabbed the floating gelatin mass, handing it to Syaoran.

            “Here you go!” she chirped, “What number will this be?”

            “Thirteen,” he answered, “In total. It’s our third kill tonight.”

            “Right. Okay!”

            Sakura grabbed a small notebook and wrote down the numbers. In accordance with the new kishin hunting required from them, they had to keep tally of the souls they collect in order to get the proper statistic. Syaoran remember the numbers, and Sakura only had to write them down and report them in.

            Most of their reaping happened in the beginning before the DWMA had more students. Now, they came out less often, which gave them more time for classes, and Sakura more time to learn more magic and complete her main objective: freeing the Spirits of Clow.

            The consuming of souls also seemed to making Syaoran more powerful, which was starting to become nice, letting Sakura use more powerful spells. She learned the hard way that powerful spells that Syaoran couldn’t handle would overpower and hurt him. They needed to be on equal standing.

            Despite getting stronger, Syaoran felt bad that Sakura basically had to downgrade herself in order to use him. She’d probably be better off with Tomoyo, but Sakura already decided to stick with him, and she had been with him for over a year now.

            Sakura watched as Syaoran fit the red orb into his mouth and swallowed. It was always strange to see, and something about it made her cheeks pink.

            “Hey Syaoran?”

            “Yeah?”

            “What do they taste like?”

            He shrugged and rubbed the back of his neck.

            “Oh…well, they don’t really taste like anything. They’re just…smooth when they go down your throat.”

            Sakura touched the pen in her hand to her lips, thinking, as she put her notebook away.

            “Why do you ask?” Syaoran enquired.

            “Just curious I guess,” she shrugged. She put her pen away.

            “What were you and that guy talking about?” he finally asked.

            “Oh that? We were just getting to know each other. He’s a witch…er…wizard…like me! He seems to have a lot of experience in magic, based on my first impression. He offered to teach me some things!”

            “What makes you think he’s so experienced?”

            “Well…he actually sensed my key,” she pointed out, holding the Star Key out from around her neck.

            “Ms. Yuuko said that mostly powerful magic users could sense it,” Sakura went on, “To others, meisters and weapons alike, it’s just a pendant.”

            “Why would a powerful wizard need to join the DWMA, if he doesn’t need help controlling his power or anything? If he’s so powerful…” Syaoran muttered.

            Sakura heard the bite in his voice and snapped at him.

            “Well, maybe he just wants to help!”

            “Yeah…he seemed real interested in the school. I think he was more interested in you.”

            “Oh come on!”

            “I mean it, Sakura! And if he made an offer to teach you magic under Yuuko’s nose, that has to be suspicious, right? I don’t think he’s in it to help DWMA.”

            “Oh, really? What makes you so sure?”

            “Did you see the way he looked at you? And he seemed…like way too close to you…and…”

            Syaoran was started to lose his words, and it suddenly hit her.

            “Oh my God…” Sakura smirked, rather surprised, “Syaoran…are you jealous?”

            “WHAT?! NO!!!”

            “Okay, so the way he looks at me is sound grounds for thinking he’s suspicious?”

            Syaoran went red in the face, out of frustration, embarrassment, or both.

            “I just…have a bad feeling…sorry…” he mumbled meekly.

            Sakura sighed.

            “Well, you don’t need to worry so much about me and some guy I just met, okay? I think I can handle a guy, if he’s looking at me funny or whatever. Besides, I only have eyes for Yukito! You know that.”

            “Yeah, I know…just…don’t want some jerk taking advantage of…your kindness and stuff…”

            This made Sakura smile a little.

            “Aaww, you’re such a little worrywart!” she teased, hooking her arm behind his neck.

            “Thanks,” she grinned, “I’ll be careful. ‘Sides, I think I’ll stick with Yuuko and Ms. Sakura’s advice for now. I know them better than I know Eriol anyways.”

            Syaoran sighed in relief. He also noticed he wasn’t stiffening anymore when Sakura latched onto him. Then, she noticed.

            “Whoops! Sorry! I forgot you don’t like to be touched!”

            Being as far as they were, they decided to conserve magic and energy by taking the bus back to Death City. Syaoran felt confused. Somehow, Sakura _not_ giving him physical contact made him feel a little sad. However, he was strangely elated when she fell a sleep on the bus and leaned her head on his shoulder.


	27. Three

AN: What’s the Soul Eater gang up to? Let’s find out. It isn’t a crossover if you don’t focus on the characters from both series, right? I dunno. Let’s check in on SoMa baby. Then SoMa. And some travelers.

* * *

            Angel eyed Syaoran with curiosity as Sakura did her homework at the table. It was a babysitting night, though Syaoran was never really a huge participant. Soul and Maka’s daughter was staying over at their place that night, however, as Maka and Soul were on an out-of-town mission.

            Even though he was just reading, Syaoran was a fascinating subject for Angel. No matter how many times he looked up from his book, the small baby was still staring at him.

            Soon, peeking from behind the book and hiding behind it became an unintentional game of peek-a-boo. He noticed a smile curl up on the child’s face when he showed _his_ face. The smiled faded into a blank stare when he hid behind the book. He noticed when he took a small peek.

            Tension fell from him and was replaced with a sense of ease. He then got into it when he started taking the book and pressing it against his face like a mask.

            “Where’d you go?” he chimed, “Where’s Angel?”

            The young girl waited with anticipation until he lifted the book from his face.

            “THERE YOU ARE!” he smiled, and Angel smiled back, starting to giggle. Syaoran felt his heart melt a little, and he picked her up after setting the book down.

He sat her in his lap, like he was a large chair. Touching the top of her head, he noticed that white tuffs of hair were starting to grow. 

            Then a hand touched the top of _his_ head.

            “Having fun?” Sakura asked.

            “Oh! Uh…yeah I guess,” he shrugged, “She’s been pretty good.”

            “Yeah. She usually is. She’s pretty inqui…quiz…”

            “Inquisitive?”

            “Yeah. That.”

            Sakura slumped on the couch in exhaustion.

            “She likes looking at stuff and grabbing it or touching it. One time, she decided that my hair was interesting and ended up pulling out a few strands.”

            He remembered. She had pointed out that one evening, when one of the small, longer pieces of hair looked much shorter than the other.

            “Right now, she apparently likes your pants,” she pointed out. Angel had the material of Syaoran’s pants in her grasp. He smiled a little.

            “You wanna hold her?” Sakura asked, “Like…cradle her in and stuff?”

            Syaoran’s cheeks pinked a little, as he looked down at the small child in confusion.

            “Don’t worry,” Sakura giggled, “It’s easy. Here.”

            With some coaxing, Syaoran soon had the baby cradled in his arms. He tried not to move.

            “Relax, you’re doing just fine,” Sakura assured, as the young weapon made himself less stiff.

            Angel was up at him, her little arms and hands soon reaching up towards him. He leaned his face in, and a small baby hand patted his nose. Soon she patted his hair and grabbed it, giving it a small tug.

            “Ow!”

            He pulled his head away, and Angel had a few strands of his hair in her hand. Not sure was to do with her new treasure, she waved it around and then dropped it.

            “Told you she likes to grab things,” Sakura teased.

            “Heh…yeah, you weren’t kidding,” he murmured. Looking at Angel again, he noticed her bright, green eyes as she smiled a little at him.

            “She seems to like you,” Sakura smiled softly.

            “Yeah…guess so…”

            “You’re doing pretty well.”

            “Thanks.”

            There was a pause.

            “I noticed she starting to grow some hair,” Syaoran pointed out.

            “Yeah, I noticed it the other day!” Sakura agreed, “Daddy’s hair. Mother’s eyes.”

            Angel started to snuggle up into the crook of Syaoran’s arms and started shutting her eyes.

            “Uh oh, I think it’s time for her nap,” Sakura sighed.

            “Oh…uh…” Syaoran looked around nervously.

            “Don’t worry. She naps in her little carrier over here. I’ll grab it, and you can put her in it, ‘kay?”

            Once Syaoran nodded, Sakura got up on tiptoe and grabbed the carrier. She situated it on the sofa, and Syaoran got up, holding the baby like she was porcelain or glass. With assistance, he set Angel into the carrier. Sakura gave her a blanket and a small stuffed fish toy to sleep with. Angel didn't stir once.

            “Good job,” Sakura whispered, giving Syaoran a soft nudge with her elbow.

            “But I didn’t really do anything,” he whispered back, looking confused.

            “That’s not true, Syaoran. You played and hung out with Angel, AND you put her in her carrier for a nap. That seems like ‘something’ to me. I mean I would’ve had to do that along with doing my homework, so…thank you.”

            She did this a lot. She’d thank him, he’d downgrade himself, and then she’d call out on bullshit to reaffirm her praises. It wasn’t that he hated himself too much or anything. He just didn’t think he deserved to here it from her. Somehow, hearing her complimenting him or thanking him lifted his spirits more than he thought they should. No one else’s opinions mattered or shook him like hers did, and he knew his world would crash and burn if she spoke ill of him, which was never.

            He never figured out why her words meant so much to him. Though he wouldn’t admit, he was in serious denial of whatever he was feeling. He didn’t want to admit to having this sort of attachment to her. He didn’t want to tread on that line between being her friend or…something else. He didn’t want their partnership to fade away like it had with her and Tomoyo.

            And what would happen if she had to partner up again? Would really need to? She had that Star Wand. She didn’t need him. Not really. But what if she _did_ partner up again? Would the same thing happen? Would that person fall for this young witch’s innocence like Tomoyo did? Would Sakura find out and get upset, ruining their resonance, their partnership? And what about Sakura? She would be miserable, forever drawing people towards her that would love her more than she could ever love them back.

            She was a girl that loved everyone equally with kindness, selflessness, and friendships that would last. And the only person she really loved more than anyone was Yukito. That’s what she told him anyways.

            Syaoran was swimming in these thoughts as he and Sakura sat back on the couch. He wasn’t in love with her. He wouldn't let himself. He kept his face blank, focused, like he was in a trance. His muscles tensed, his soul anxiously writhing, making his stomach churn. He wanted to throw up.

            Sakura must’ve noticed, for she looked at him concerned. She felt it. His soul wavelength was tense, trying to detach from hers. Though she wanted to ask him what was wrong, she knew he’d just shrug it off. She learned this over the year and a half they were partnered up.

            As a next best plan, she grabbed his hand. Her wavelength sent a sensation from his palm to his fingertips. He snapped out of his racing thoughts. The wavelength traveled up his arm, finally reaching his soul again. He relaxed his muscles, taking in a deep breath of air.

            “Stop doing that,” she told him sternly.

            “D-doing what?” he stammered.

            “Breaking resonance like that. Don’t push me away, if you’re not feeling well.”

            “Bu…”

            “Uh uh. No but’s. You’re pushing something down, and that’s not good for you! Don’t think I haven’t noticed!”

            Syaoran looked terrified.

            “I don’t know what feelings you’re dealing with, but…you can’t ignore them like that okay? That’s not good for you.”

            She paused. He looked down, guilty.

            “You don’t have to own up to it all now, and you don’t have to tell me if you don’t want to, but…let yourself feel what you’re feeling, okay?”

            Syaoran nodded.

            “Promise?”

            “…Promise.”

            She squeezed his hand and smiled. She then realized that maybe she shouldn’t be holding his hand.

            “Oops! Sorry…bodily contact and stu…”

            He gripped her hand as she was letting go, and she looked surprised.

            “It’s fine…” he murmured, failing to hide the red that was forming on his face.

            “You sure? I mean…”

            “Yeah…it’s fine.”

            Something pulsed through their resonance, like a heartbeat, and Sakura’s pinked a little. Still, she smiled. She had a way of showing some sort of friendly, physical affection for her weapon partner, since she knew he didn’t like hugs. She sighed happily and shut her eyes, laying her head against the back of the couch. Syaoran followed suit, and they never did let go of each other’s hands.

* * *

            Maka was soaring over the abandoned ruins of Tenochtitlan, carefully preserved. She and Soul flew passed this, landing in forests that were just nearby. The death scythe returned to his human form, and the couple looked around.

            “He was spotted around here?” Soul asked.

            “Kid detected something that felt like the presence of a very powerful wizard,” Maka answered, “Kero, I’m picking up the soul wavelength here. Do you feel anything?”

            Kero, in his stuffed animal form, shimmied his way out of Maka’s small backpack. He looked around and his ears perked up. His tiny wings grew into large ones, enveloping him into a white, feathery cocoon. He emerged, wings spreading out, in his true form, the winged lion, his mane gone but a red jeweled helmet-like headpiece atop his head.

            “Yeah, this is him,” he snarled, “It’s Clow…”

            Soul turned into a scythe again, and Maka held him, ready to fight. Kero readied himself as well.

            “This is freaky…” Soul’s voice echoed, “Doesn’t this wavelength feel really familiar?”

            “Yeah,” Maka nodded, “It’s almost like…Asura’s. Like…it’s not exactly, but it’s very similar. It’s definitely…a form of madness, and it’s strong.”

            It was the feeling they both had when encountering Kishin Asura, the aftermath of Crona’s attack in Russia, the Clown…

            It was this feeling of terror. Despair. Isolation.

            Maka planted her feet in the forest’s grass and mud.

            “If we can catch him, it’ll be one less thing for that Sakura kid to worry about,” Soul murmured hopefully.

            “I wouldn’t be so optimistic,” Kero told them, and they looked concerned.

            Without warning, Maka felt something like a punch in the gut. Something pounded into her with full force, so much that she accidently bit her tongue and spat out blood. She flew backwards into a tree. Kero sped towards what hit her, but it moved so fast, that Kero lost sight of it quickly. Maka got up quickly, but her legs wobbled, and her tongue was sore. She tasted something metallic in her mouth. Probably blood.

            “I’m fine,” she assured Soul, before he even asked, and she heard him give an anxious sigh.

            “You know I’ve been through worse than this, silly,” she sighed.

            “Yeah, doesn’t make me less worried though,” he retorted.

            “It’s cool. We got this. I’ll fine tune the soul perception a little bit, ‘kay?”

            “Okay. Sounds cool.”

            Maka smirked and then focused her on her soul. She felt the waves of souls all around her. Focusing on the one where the madness was the strongest, she followed it as it sped around like a bullet. It was getting closer.

            She heard her heart thumping in her ears.

            It was gaining, ready to strike.

            She gripped the shaft of the scythe tightly in her hands.

            Closer.

            She saw it heading toward her, a glowing gold light.

            Closer.

            She saw an opening.

            There was a clang.

            Her scythe hit at the light of the soul that attacked her before. This person was holding a scythe as well, but they were encased in shadow. A golden scythe, adorned in teal-colored stones. A small figure…possibly around Sakura’s height. Maybe more.

            The opponents swung their blades back and forth, clangs echoing through the forest. Figuring this shadowed figure was distracted, Kero breathed in and let out a fiery blast as if he were more dragon than a lion.

            To his dismay, this shadowy figure was way ahead of him, shielding him/herself from the attack. The figure knocked Maka to the ground and prepared to kill her on the spot. And then they stopped and looked up.

            The sky looked as if it was forming a black hole. It warped until it for a drop, oozing down to earth. While the others noticed this as well, Maka immediately snapped back to the distracted figure, kicking them in the gut and hitting them with the scythe so that they flew into a tree.

            “The fuck?” Soul guffawed.

            “What the hell is that?” Maka enquired to herself.

            “It certainly got this guy’s attention,” Kero growled, a heavy paw pinning the figure against the tree. Maka walked over, letting Soul turn back into his human form. He turned one of his arms into a blade, holding it close to the shadowy figure. Upon closer inspection, face clouded in darkness, it appeared to be someone of the male persuasion.

            “You’re Clow Reed, aren’t you?” Maka sneered angrily.

            “This aura…it’s definitely him, but he looks…different,” Kero told them.

            “He’s a lot shorter than I pictured,” Soul grinned his signature smirk.

            “What just dropped out of the sky, asshat?” Maka hissed, “Some lackeys of yours?”

            “ _They must die_ ,” he growled out in a low and terrifying voice.

            Everyone looked surprised. So whatever dropped from the sky, this Clow Reed saw as a threat.

            “ _Get out of my way. Those travelers are fated to die._ ”

            “WHAT ARE YOU PLANNING CLOW?!” Kero roared, “STOP BEING CRYPTIC AND MYSTERIOUS FOR ONCE AND START GIVING US ANSWERS!!!”

            “ _Cerberus, now is not the time for answers. Soon it will all become clear. Now, get out of my way._ ”

            With a puff of dark smoke, Clow disappeared.

            Looking at each other and nodding, Maka and Soul began to race towards where the sky ooze dropped.

            “Get on my back, you two,” Kero commanded of them, “We need to get to that spot before Clow does.”

* * *

            “Wheet whoo! We’ve landed in another jungle, it seems!” chirped an effeminate male voice.

            “Would you please stop saying that weird, fake whistle noise?” groaned a deeper and gruffer voice.

            Maka, Soul, and Kero peered through the bushes to see three young men dressed in rather elaborate white cloaks and exotic clothing. There was a lanky blonde, a tan and dark haired muscle man, and someone who looked EXACTLY like Syaoran, the traveler that meister, weapon, and lion stared at in shock.

            “Syaoran Li?” Maka called out.

            All three young men whipped their attention towards them in surprise, especially the Syaoran doppelganger.

            “Oh hello!” smiled the blonde man.

            “She wasn’t talking to you,” the dark, tanned man muttered.

            “I’m sorry…have I met any of you?” the Syaoran doppelganger asked then turned to his companions, “Have we visited this world before?”

            “I don’t think so,” the blonde scratched his head, “Well, I’m Fai. This young man is, as you correctly pointed out, named Syaoran…I think. And this scary guy is…”

            “Kurogane,” the dark, tanned man huffed out.

            Using Soul perception, Maka noticed all three of these souls, but then she saw one more in the hood of Syaoran’s cloak.

            “And who’s hiding in your cloak?” Maka asked.

            “Oh! You sensed him!” Fai said, rather impressed, “Come on out Mokona! I think you’ll be safe.”

            A small, white rabbit-like creature with a round, red jewel on it’s head popped out of Syaoran’s cloak and leaped over to Maka. She caught the soft ball of short fur in her hands.

            “Hi there! I’m Mokona Mokodi!” it squeaked out.

            Maka stared at the little thing, bewildered, and then she suddenly melted, fawning over the small creature.

            “Oh…my Death, you are a-DORABLE!!!”

            Mokona giggled happily, as he cuddled into Maka’s cheek, letting her feel his soft, plush fur.

            “Look…we don’t know what the hell’s going on, but we need to get you guys out of here,” Soul finally spoke out.

            Everyone got serious, and the travelers looked surprised. However, Syaoran seemed to figure out what they were talking about.

            “He’s coming to kill us, isn’t he?” he said.

            Maka and Soul looked at each other.

            “How…How did you…” Maka couldn’t finish.

            “Let’s discuss that later,” Kero said sternly, “Maka, Soul, you two can fly on your own. You three can hop onto my back. You…might need to squish together.”

            Syaoran, followed by Kurogane and Fai hopped onto Kero’s back, and everyone flew off, Clow’s shadowy figure watching in the distance.


	28. Lost

AN: YUP. There’s some Tsubasa stuff happening now. I had to. I’m feeling. Also, Tsubasa World Chronicle is starting to get published! So, I apologize in advance, because now all of this stuff that happens probably’s not going to fit into the story’s canon. Part of the reason I’m nervous about the new Tsubasa series. But yeah, why are these guys all here? Let’s find out. * coughIwatoriswimclubreferencecough *

* * *

            “GAH! OH SHIT! SORRY!”

            Meiling forgot to knock, and Tomoyo was out of the shower. She wasn’t exactly naked, but all she had on was a towel, and her long hair was wet and sticking to her skin.

            “No, no! It’s okay! Come on in! I’m almost done in here anyways.”

            Meiling still wasn’t used to this sort of dorm where they shared a bathroom. They had to move on campus, despite Meiling’s protests. Since Syaoran lived on campus with Sakura, Meiling now had to do the same.

            Now, Meilign was sharing a bathroom with a girl. That was okay, but this was a girl that Meiling knew, or at least had an inkling, that Tomoyo wasn’t exactly straight. While Meiling was okay with it at first, the change in environment made things a little more tense for her.

            “What ‘cha need?” Tomoyo asked.

            “I…I have to pee…” Meiling murmured, her face red.

            “Um…alright! Go ahead. I won’t look. I just gotta comb my hair and dry off, and I’ll get out of here.”

            Meiling slowly went to the toilet, pulled down her pants and undies, and sat down. Even though she relieved herself, she kept looking over at Tomoyo, combing her hair and humming a made-up tune.

            After a moment or two, Tomoyo’s somewhat cheery mood seemed to fade a bit. She kept combing her hair but her humming stopped. She could feel the tension on their wavelength, and she guessed the reason.

            “You know I’m not going to do anything, right?” Tomoyo told her meister.

            “Huh? Oh…yeah…I…yeah…”

            “Don’t lie to me, Meiling. Your wavelength’s all weird. And you’ve been acting weird since we got here to the new dorm.”

            Meiling was finished on the toilet, but she continued to sit there, pants still down, her eyes looking at the tile.

            “Look, I get it. You’re straight. I’m…not. But just because I like girls, especially Sakura, doesn’t mean I want to screw every girl I see, okay? I’m your weapon. You have to trust me.”

            “I know. But…there are stories…stories about weapon and meister pairs that fall in love and all that jazz, and…”

            “Oh come on, now.”

            Tomoyo decided to turn around. She walked over to Meiling and crouched in front of her meisters. Meiling put her hands in front of her crotch, more out of modesty than anything.

            “Listen, I’ve heard that too, but honestly, that’s not as common as you think it is,” Tomoyo assured, “I thought the same thing would happen too. It’s…part of the reason I tried to partner with Sakura.”

            Meiling looked only partially surprised.

            “So…you _did_ want her to like you back, Little Miss Noble,” Meiling teased. Tomoyo chuckled in defeat and shook her head.

            “Yeah, but I’m a little different now, you know?” Tomoyo continued, “So, let me tell you right now, if you don’t want any romantic thing to happen between you and I, then it won’t. We did this because we became friends, right? You were there for me and helped me when I was shutting myself out. That doesn’t mean I’m going to try and bang you, silly goose.”

            Tomoyo took her comb and lightly conked Meiling on the head.

            “Don’t let fear of what you don’t understand get in the way of our friendship, Meiling. You’re a good friend. I’m not a monster ready to claw out your throat. I’m your fighting partner. Okay?”

            Meiling nodded.

            “I’m sorry. I’m just…being stupid.”

            “No. You’re not stupid, Meiling. You’re in a different environment, and you haven’t had experience knowing someone of a different sexuality, right?”

            “Yeah…I don’t…know a whole lot of people that are…”

            “Gay?”           

            “Yeah.”

            “There’s some wandering around DWMA, though.”

            “Really? Well, I guess I really shouldn’t be surprised, but who else here is gay? Do…do you know?”

            “I’ve talked with a few of them. And others are just me going off of intuition.”

            Meiling cleaned up and pulled up her pants, flushing the toilet. She joined Tomoyo at the sink to wash her hands.

            “So…who?” Meiling asked, “You got me curious now.”

            “Okay, so…Haru? That swim team guy?”

            “Yeah?”

            “Definitely, 100% gay.”

            “Ah.”

            “Yeah. Not surprising, is it?”

            “Yeah. Surprisingly…not.”

            “Okay, no. I gotta better one.”

            “Spill.”

            “Okay…you know that blonde girl that loves wear red lipstick and chills around in loose tees and leggings?”

            “Starla?”

            “Yes! Starla…”

            “Wait…no way…”

            “Yup. 100% gay. Total lesbian.”

            “NO WAY!”

            “Way.”

            “How?!”

            “She…actually flirted with me one day.”

            Tomoyo was blushing a little. Meiling was in surprise but had a big smile on her face. It slowly turned into a smirk, and she nudged Tomoyo.

            “You gonna ask her out?” Meiling chided, winking and smiling with encouragement.

            “Oh, well…” Tomoyo giggled, “I dunno…”

            “You totally should!”

            “You really think?”

            “Yeah! Get out there! There are plenty of girls out there for you, I’m sure! Who knows! She might be a better match for you than Sakura.”

            “Now, now, let’s not get too ahead of ourselves.”

            “Even so, you like her?”

            “Well, she _is_ very pretty.”

            “And she obviously is into you! I say you should give it a shot.”

            “Really?”

            “Really.”

            Tomoyo finished combing her hair and twisted it into a knot, clipping it to the back of her head. She then gave Meiling a hug.

            “You really are a good friend, Meiling.”

            “Pfft. Whatever. I may not get the whole ‘being into girls’ thing, but if that’s you, I want to see you happy…you know?”

            “You’re starting to understand, though. We talked like how I would talk to Sakura about boys she liked. I…felt…I’ve never been able to talk about girls like this with anyone. Thank you.”

            Tomoyo hugged Meiling again, and she trotted out of the bathroom, holding her towel up. Any walls Meiling had built up before felt as if they crumbled to dust. She was becoming close friends with Tomoyo. This was a lot easier than her illogical fears had dictated.

* * *

            “A precious person to me told me in a dream.”

            Everyone was in one of the DWMA’s empty classrooms. The travelers, ‘Syaoran’, Kurogane, and Fai, all sat with Maka, Soul, Yuuko, and Kero, still in his true form, in a big circle. ‘Syaoran’ was explaining how it wasn’t all three of them that were supposed to die. It would be him and someone he named Princess Sakura.

            “Mokona doesn’t like this story,” Mokona whimpered, cuddling in Maka’s lap. Everyone looked incredibly serious.

            “We are doomed to be separated, in order to keep each other alive,” this other Syaoran continued, “My friends and I are traveling because it’s the price I have to pay for a wish I needed to be granted. However, the princess of my world, Princess Sakura, has found a way to talk to me through dreams. She told me that she had a vision of the future. She and I are together, but we are both dead.”

            “There is a way to prevent this,” Yuuko interrupted, “However, that fate can only changed based on the decisions that others involved are making. The chances are slim.”

            “What has to change exactly?” Soul asked.

            “Clow needs to give up on his wish,” Yuuko stated, “In order to achieve his goal, both this young man, the princess, and their doppelgangers have to die.”

            Mokona started sniffling, and Maka petted his head. Kurogane and Fai were very somber.

            “It was the same back then,” ‘Syaoran’ said, “However, his name wasn’t named Clow Reed. Do you know that too, Ms. Yuuko?”

            “I do,” she answered, a fiery anger lit in her eyes.

            “Are you…” Fai began, “You seem very similar to the Dimensional Witch, which we’ve…”

            “I am…” she smiled softly, “I am the Dimensional Witch you met before. I am not a different version, and there are no other versions of me in other worlds with the same name.”

            The travelers stared in shock, but the others looked confused.

            “I’m sorry, but what are you talking about?” Maka asked, “I get the whole ‘different worlds, different situations, same people’ thing. So…you’re the only Yuuko Ichihara that exists?”

            “Yes,” Yuuko nodded.

            “Have…have you met these three before?”

            “Yes.”

            “But…that makes no sense,” ‘Syaoran’ said, “You’re…you’re supposed…supposed to be dead.”

            “I am,” Yuuko stated sadly.

            Everyone went dead silent.

* * *

            “But…but I see your soul!” Maka cried out, “How are you dead?”

            “Clow’s wish hasn’t been fully granted,” Yuuko said morosely, “He wishes to raise the dead. Specifically me.”

            “But…but why? Why all of this?” Maka shook her head.

            “It is the price someone as powerful as him pays to raise the dead. No one has done it successfully, and it’s near impossible. Yet again…no one has been able to go as far as Clow Reed has. In ‘Syaoran’s’ world, part of his soul became a man who created artificial life named Fei Wong Reed.”

            “And this Fei Wong guy used this Syaoran and this princess as some sort of sacrifice to resurrect you?” Soul asked.

            “Yes,” Yuuko answered, “Fei Wong Reed is dead, however. We all believed that the children’s hardships would be over, but they aren’t.”

            There was a knock at the door.

            “Come in,” Yuuko beckoned, and then she turned to everyone else, “We’ll discuss this more later. Sakura will need to know these things in due time.”

            “You mean…” ‘Syaoran’ began, but before he could finish, Sakura and Syaoran stepped into the room.

            “Ms. Yuuko, we’re here for…” Sakura started, but she stopped when she saw the travelers. She froze. When Syaoran saw them, he also froze.

            “AGH!”

            Both Syaorans in the room jumped back in surprise, but after calming down for a moment, they walked up to each other, studying each other and somehow mirroring each other’s mannerisms and movements.

            “Who…” Syaoran began.

            “I am the same as you, but…also not,” his doppelganger answered. Sakura stood beside her partner and stared at the somewhat older version of this clone. ‘Syaoran’ soon looked away and stared at Sakura. Somehow, the way he looked at her was as if he recognized her.

            “Sakura…” he murmured.

            “You know who I am?” she asked.

            “Oh! Um…well, you look like a Sakura that I know…we she was a little bit younger. I mean…not too long ago…are you…”

            “I’m sixteen, if that’s what you wanted to ask.”

            “Ah…yeah, but that would be rude…to ask a lady that.”

            Sakura giggled a little sheepishly at this, and her partner looked at her, raising an eyebrow.

            “So…you’re only a year or two older than I am,” Sakura said with enthusiasm, “And those two…you’re the travelers from the dreams I’ve had! And the Sakura you’re talking about…she’s a princess, isn’t she?”

            This other ‘Syaoran’ seemed surprised but soon smiled.

            “Yes, that’s right,” he answered.

            “I KNEW IT!” Sakura clapped, “Syaoran, it’s them! Now, where Mokona?”

            Mokona let out a little “hello,” and leaped over to Sakura. He landed with a soft flop in the palms of her hands.

            “Your name is Sakura too?!” Mokona asked.

            “Yes! And you’re as adorable as I imagined!” Sakura smiled.

            “And I don’t suppose you know our names as well?” Fai asked.

            “Ah, yes! Um…which ones do you go by now?”

            Everyone was silent for a moment until Kurogane spoke up.

            “We go by the names we gave ourselves, not the ones we had at birth,” he answered. Sakura nodded firmly.

            “You want to form identities outside of the fate you were given,” Sakura nodded. The travelers looked surprised, but neither sad nor angry.

            “Yes…I…I suppose that really is what we’re trying to do,” Fai smiled softly. Sakura nodded sadly.

            “I’m sorry,” Sakura bowed her head, “You’ve all suffered so much…I saw it…all of it.”

            “You saw more of it?” Syaoran asked, “You still haven’t told me what happened back at the dorm…”

            “I know,” Sakura told her weapon partner, “I’m sorry. I’ll tell you. I promise. They’ve…they’ve been through so much…”

            Sakura turned back to ‘Syaoran’, who seemed much more somber. She used her soul perception, and she saw something strange. There was his soul, whose wavelength felt very similar to her weapon partner’s, but there seemed to be another soul there: one shaped like a feather she saw before. Based on her new visions, she immediately knew what it was.

            “He’s here with you too, isn’t he?” she asked, “Your clone?”

            Maka raised an eyebrow.

            “What are you talking about?” she asked.

            “This Syaoran has two souls,” Sakura said matter-of-factly, “One is his, and the other is a copy. He went through a time anomaly that caused two versions of him to exist. One of them died, but the soul remains as a feather. You don’t see it, Ms. Maka?”

            “No…I…”

            “A regular meister probably can’t see it,” Yuuko explained, “You have to be a very powerful witch or wizard to notice it. Even Stein probably wouldn’t see it. I wouldn’t worry too much, Mrs. Albarn-Evans.”

            “I’m still confused about Yuuko being dead,” Soul muttered, scratch his head before ruffling his hair, “Also, aren’t you two supposed to be watching Angel? Where is she?”

            “She’s with Ms. Tsubaki,” Sakura assured, “Ms. Maka told me to call her if I had an emergency, and I had…I had those visions and needed to run over to Ms. Yuuko. And, well…here we are!”           

            “Okay, seriously, can we please go into more of what the fuck is going on?” Maka asked, shaking her head and rubbing her temples.

            “I can sum it up in two words,” Sakura nodded, “Time shenanigans.”

            With assistance from Sakura, the travelers began to explain the situation they experienced due to the desires and wishes of Clow Reed.


	29. Names

AN: Oh dear. Let’s step back a few moments in time for a sec. For those that haven’t read Tsubasa: Reservoir Chronicle or didn’t understand it, I _think_ this chapter may help. Why is there a third series tied in to this Soul Eater/CCS crossover? You’ll see. It all points back to Clow Reed.

Got any questions? You can leave them in my ask box at eerie-innocence42.tumblr.com or write a review or leave a comment, depending where you’re reading this.

**_TSUBASA SPOILERS TO FOLLOW._ **

* * *

            The trouble began when Sakura was digging through her deck. She was trying to free The VOID, but to no avail. She looked over at The Nameless Card.

            All of the souls Sakura released so far seemed to be of all shapes and sizes, none of them really resembling the forms they took as cards by much. None of them remembered their real names or where they came from. Releasing them left Sakura exhausted and morose. She wanted to stop, even when she pushed herself to do it. She didn’t even know if this was really what she was supposed to do.

            She felt waves from The Nameless Card and decided to pick it up. In doing so, the world around her went dark.

            She felt the familiar glass-like floor and the area around her looked like outer space, stars sprinkled across the sky. She was in that dream world again. Miss Sakura appeared before her once again.

            “You need to talk to me again?” Sakura asked.

            “I do,” her older doppelganger told her, “I can see you’re struggling. And it’s time we talked about the travelers in your dreams.”

            “Kurogane, Fai, Princess Sakura, and those two Syaorans?”

            “Yes, but those are not their real names.”

            Seeing the confusion on Sakura’s face, Miss Sakura explained. Kurogane was his name given to him as a warrior for Princess Tomoyo in the World of Feudal Japan. He was really a prince of the land, with his family left for dead, named Youou. Fai’s real name was Yuui, and he stole his dead twin’s name. Sakura was shown the pasts for both of these travelers. Both of them met terrible fates based around the actions of a man named Fei Wong Reed.

            “Fei Wong Reed?” Sakura asked, “Is he related to Clow Reed somehow? Like…a cousin? A brother?”

            “You will see in a moment,” Miss Sakura answered solemnly.

            “What about the other Sakura and the two Syaorans? I know the one that was trapped by Fei Wong was the real Syaoran and the one traveling with everyone was the clone, but…”

            “There is more.”

            They went passed the moment Kurogane saved Fai by sacrificing his own arm in the world of Seresu. The scene was now Feudal Japan. Kurogane now had his wish granted. He had returned to his home world.

            However, Princess Sakura’s soul was separated from her body somehow. The Real Syaoran entered a dream-like world, similar to where Sakura was right now. ‘Syaoran’ and his doppelganger fought only for the clone to accidentally kill the princess.

            Sakura stood horrified. Miss Sakura explained that this soul was merely a clone of the original. The body was real, but the soul was not.

            “So…Sakura’s soul the entire time…all those feathers…” Sakura stuttered out.

            “Yes. Fake.”

            “But…why…”

            “There is still more.”

            She watched the clone scream as the princess’s copied soul dissolved away, like cherry blossom petals in spring. The princess’s body was stolen. The travelers ended their journey back in Clow Country, Kurogane now with a prosthetic arm and Fai no longer a magician.

            The desert country seemed to play a single day and events like a broken record. Time was distorted everywhere but at the wing-shaped ruins where everything stood still. ‘Syaoran’ made a wish to save the real Sakura at the cost of his freedom, thus falling into Fei Wong’s plans. The Syaoran clone died after betraying Fei Wong’s orders to kill the original. Both clones, the ones that Sakura Kinomoto so carefully got to know through her dreams, were gone.

            Then, something changed. The clones appeared in a dream-space with Yuuko Ichihara.

            “Is that another Yuuko?” Sakura asked.

            “No, she is the same Yuuko that you know,” Miss Sakura told her.

            Yuuko would sacrifice her life in order to send the clones to a new dimension where they could live and be happy. The two of them met again as high schoolers in a different version of Japan. Yuuko was dead.

            “But…how…if Ms. Yuuko is the same as the Yuuko in this narrative, she can’t be…”

            “Do you understand Clow’s wish now?” Miss Sakura asked.

            It hit her. Sakura stared at the glassy, starry-skied floor at her feet. Yuuko was somehow alive again, or at least…half-alive, though that made even less sense.

            “He wanted to resurrect the dead,” Sakura whispered. Miss Sakura nodded.

            “She died once before,” the woman told her, “Clow made a wish to resurrect the one he loved the most. Being the most powerful wizard in the world…it cost the life of the woman with the alias Yuuko Ichihara. With the life Clow Reed chained to her shop used to grant wishes, Yuuko sacrificed it in order to save those two children.”

            “But I thought you couldn’t raise the dead?”

            “You can’t. Not perfectly anyways. Clow made the closest attempt, but he still failed to a certain extent. She had to stay in that shop. She had to grant wishes for others and never for herself. She could never live a full life, as most humans do, like you. Clow was doomed to not die for centuries because he was so powerful. He would live many different lives in one place.

            “Really? So…what price did he have to pay in order to make this happen exactly? And why would he do this even though it’s pretty clear this is the last thing Yuuko wants?”

            “Watch. There is more.”

            Sakura looked to see the reborn Syaoran and Sakura with a new baby in their arms. Sakura blushed madly, and Miss Sakura giggled.

            “This is weird for me,” Sakura mumbled.

            “I know,” Miss Sakura chuckled, “I’m sorry. Just keep watching.”

            Their baby grew, and he looked…just like Syaoran. In fact, she recognized certain moments, moments from ‘Syaoran’s’ past. Her head started to ache.

            “That’s…” Sakura started.

            “It’s the original Syaoran who imprisoned himself to save the princess,” Miss Sakura interrupted.

            “The one in Clow Country right now…”

            “Yes. That one.”

            “I…I’m so lost. Who’s the real one then? The clone or…”

            “Neither. This is what Clow tried to achieve in order to grant his wish: a time paradox.”

            “But…this is all Fei Wong’s doing…wait…Fei Wong…”

            “He is a being born from Clow Reed’s wish to resurrect Yuuko.”

            Sakura felt her head spin.

            “So…these two aren’t supposed to exist? Clone or otherwise?”

            “They were born only for them to die.”

            Sakura felt tears well up in her eyes.

            “In order to stay alive, this ‘Syaoran’ travels across dimensions until he can find a way to resurrect his copy,” Miss Sakura went on, “The copy’s soul lies within him. The copy of Sakura’s soul lies dormant in with the real ‘Sakura’ as well.”

            “You said that everyone’s name was fake, right?”

            “Yes. The clones had no names. So their names are still Sakura and Syaoran.”

            “So the real ones have different names? What are they?”

            Miss Sakura covered her mouth. Sakura, at first, thought she was crying, but she saw that her older counterpart was trying not to laugh.

            “What?”

            “You sure you want to know?” Miss Sakura asked.

            “Yeah, why?”

            “It’s…it’s pretty funny…although…it might cheer you up to have you laugh a little…”

            Miss Sakura whispered their names in her ear. Sakura was right. She did laugh, even if she did feel a tinge of guilt for doing so.

* * *

            Syaoran knocked on Sakura’s bedroom door. Opening it, he saw her sitting in a trance on the bed, The Nameless Card in her hands. Her eyes glowed an unnatural pink.

            “Sakura?” he yelped, concerned. He raced to her side and shook her shoulders. He waved in front of her face. He pinched a small part of her arm. She still sat there in a trance.

            With Angel still with them, Syaoran grabbed a phone dialing the emergency number Sakura told him to call in case something happened.

            “Hello?” said a soft voice on the other line.

            “Hello, this is Syaoran,” he spoke.

            “Oh, hello, Li! This is Tsubaki. How are you?”

            “I’m fine, but listen, Sakura’s in some sort of trance, and I can’t snap her out of it. I think something’s wrong. Can you…Angel’s here…and I…”

            “Oh dear, Soul and Maka’s little girl? I’ll be right over. Watch Angel until I come over. I’ll help take care of her while you help Sakura, okay?”

            “Okay. Thank you.”

            “Just keep calm for the time being.”

            “Thank you, Ms. Nakatsukasa.”

            “My pleasure. Be there in ten!”

            The phone hung up, and within ten minutes, Tsubaki was inside, helping with Angel, and Syaoran sat by Sakura, trying to resonate with her as best as he could. He held her hand and waited.

* * *

            After calming down from the fit of laughter Sakura went into, she let her older self tell her the rest of the travelers’ tale.

            While Kurogane and Fai decided to go with ‘Syaoran’, Princess Sakura had to stay in Clow Country in order to keep the artificial world in balance and not have it repeat the same day over and over. It was the price she paid to be alive, along with the dormant soul of her clone self, resting within her.

            “Kimihiro Watanuki is a being created due to Clow’s time anomaly,” explained Miss Sakura, “He must remain in the shop Yuuko previously owned not only as his price for living but also to grant his wish to see Yuuko again.”

            “That’s where your soul was, right?” Sakura reaffirmed, “It was sealed in that shop’s cherry blossom tree.”

            “That’s right,” Miss Sakura smiled gently.

            “But…where do you fit into all of this?”

            Sakura felt a pulse of some sort. It was familiar. A light appeared above them, bright, alluring, and beautiful.

            “My time is done for today,” Miss Sakura sighed sadly, “Someone important to you is calling out for you, and you will need to tell the others. The travelers you’ve seen will be with you soon.”

            With that, everything went white.

* * *

            Sakura opened her eyes slowly to see The Nameless Card in one hand and Syaoran’s hand in the other.

            “Oh thank God,” he breathed.

            “Oh hey, Syaoran!” Sakura smiled, “What’s up?”

            “You scared me!” he cried, “You were in some trance, and your eyes were glowing, and…sorry. It’s just…what happened?”

            “I had another dream,” she told him, “I didn’t know I was…did you say my eyes were glowing?”

            “Well, they aren’t now, but they were.”

            “Wow, that’s kinda cool…. Heh heh, but nah. I’m okay!”

            Syaoran sighed, and Sakura squeezed his hand.

            “Sorry for worrying about me,” she smiled softly, “And thank you. I see you like the hand holding thing.”

            Syaoran blushed madly and let go immediately, mumbling apologies, which Sakura waved away, assuring him it was okay. Tsubaki walked in, Angel in her arms.

            “Oh good!” she chimed, “You’re alright! Syaoran called me in a panic, and I came right over. Hope you don’t mind!”

            “It’s fine,” Sakura assured, “We should go down and see Ms. Yuuko.”

            “Huh?” Syaoran questioned, “What for?”

            “I need to ask her some things.”

* * *

            As soon as Sakura and the travelers finished, everyone seemed caught up to speed. Soul and Kero were still scratching their heads. Maka and Syaoran seemed to grasp it after letting it all sink in.           

            A time anomaly. That’s what led Yuuko and the travelers to this point.

            “So, Sakura, who do you think this Clow Reed in your world is?” Yuuko asked, as if giving her some sort of quiz. Sakura sat there with her legs and arms crossed, clad in a T-shirt and shorts with a pair of combat boots Tomoyo gave her. Her brow furrowed. Clow Reed in Miss Sakura’s universe was dead. So was this Fei Wong Reed person that was a part of Clow. If Yuuko was still being resurrected, Clow Reed still existed to a certain extent, and this wasn’t a Clow Reed raised under new and different circumstances. This was the same motivation and power as the original Clow Reed. His desires were still trying to be met.

            “Is he some sort of…weird distortion of Fei Wong Reed?” Sakura answered more like a question.

            “Why do you think that?” Yuuko asked, smirking a little.

            “If Clow Reed’s wish was so powerful to create a new being with a different name in a different world, it would make sense that even though it was destroyed, it would try to come back again. So, he’s reincarnated himself and retained his memories and desires in this world, after both have died in two different worlds. So…he’s…like…”

            “You are not far from the truth,” Yuuko nodded, “Clow was a stubborn man. If he made it powerful enough, his wish could probably transcend many worlds at the cost of other people’s lives.”

            “You remember him well, I take it?” Maka smirked.

            “Sadly yes. I loved him and was grateful at one point, but now all I have left is contempt.”

            “Going to all that trouble to resurrect you…” Sakura shook her head.

            “He had to do much more than that, but you will discover that in due time. Miss Sakura does tie in to his plans.”

            “That’s what I wanted to ask. How is she involved? Like, I know that she and I and those princesses are all similar, but…”

            “In due time, Sakura.”

            Sakura frowned. She never did like it when Yuuko did that.

            “What about our new visitors?” Soul pointed to the travelers.

            “I’m sure we can arrange some living accommodations for them until they have to leave for the next world,” Maka shrugged.

            “My brother has a large apartment still with spare rooms he uses when Dad and I visit,” Sakura suggested, “He and Yukito split it. I’m sure they won’t mind!”

            “I suppose that settles that,” Kero sighed, and he turned back into his temporary, stuffed animal form.

* * *

            “Hey, kid!” Kurogane called from the living room, “Let’s get a move on. That princess look-a-like’s waiting for us.”

            ‘Syaoran’ pulled a new shirt over his head and headed out of, what used to be, Sakura’s guest room. He walked with haste down the long hallway until he heard thumping coming from one of the rooms. Seeing a door cracked, he peeked inside.

            “Can we PLEASE not use a condom this time?” Yukito whined.

            “I’m trying to safe, alright?” Touya grumbled.

            “We’re not a guy and a girl, Touya, we don’t need to protect anything!”

            “There’s other things besides babies, Yuki.”

            “Are you not telling me something?”

            “What? NO! I don’t have anything.”

            “Neither do I, so what are we using the latex penis sock for?”

            “Oh God, please don’t call it that…Sakura told me this story of some couple that used a sock-…”

            “KID WE’RE LATE! LET’S GO!” Kurogane called, and ‘Syaoran’ nearly jumped out of his skin.

            “COMING!” he called, which the men in the bedroom could hear. ‘Syaoran blushed beet red, while Yukito nearly cried in laughter.

* * *

            “So over there is this bar or whatever called Chupacabra’s, and over there is the Deathbucks Coffee House, and over there…”

            Sakura walked the three travelers around town, with Mokona on her shoulder. The three young men had on new clothes, akin to what the locals would wear. Fai wore a button-down shirt with skinny jeans. Kurogane wore a skin-tight black T-shirt that, ironically, read LADYKILLER in red letters and straight-leg jeans. ‘Syaoran’ was the only one of the three that wore somewhat baggier attire. He had a slim, black and yellow jersey T-shirt that read DEATH 00 on the back, but his pants were baggy and army green pants with lots of pockets.

            “Where is your partner?” ‘Syaoran’ asked.

            “He went back to the apartment to check on Angel and Tsubaki,” Sakura answered, “He insisted, since he called her over to our place. Still, I’m the one who’s getting paid for babysitting. He’s so ridiculous sometimes.”

            “He might be doing it because he wants to impress you,” Fai winked.

            “Ha ha! Nah, I doubt it. He doesn’t need to impress me. He’s already awesome to me.”

            “If he’s anything like me, he’s probably just trying to be nice,” ‘Syaoran’ smiled, “People do that for people they love.”

            “LOVE?!” Sakura yelped, flabbergasted.

            “Are you two not…”

            “NO! Oh, gosh, no. We’re just friends.”

            “Really?”

            “Yeah. He’s said he thinks of me as a friend to other people when I’m around, and besides I’m in love with someone else.”

            ‘Syaoran’ raised an eyebrow.

            “Well…he’s a little older than me, but he’s really handsome, and sweet, and… * sigh * Well, his name’s Yukito. My brother calls him Yuki. Did you see him?”

            Syaoran froze a little, remember the two men in the room with the cracked door.

            “We did meet him earlier,” Kurogane jumped in, “He handed me the clothes we’re wearing.”

            “Oh good, I wondered if Touya told him to get you guys those clothes,” Sakura sighed, “And I asked Tomoyo if she could make you some clothes too, and she said yes! So you guys’ll be REALLY stylin’ and stuff.”

            While Sakura continued to talk, ‘Syaoran’ smiled at her and then seemed absorbed in his thoughts. He thought about Princess Sakura. He wanted to talk to her again. He didn’t know how much longer he and her had.

            “Hey…other Syaoran?” Sakura poked his shoulder.

            He turned his head to her, listening.

            “Is there anything else that you’d prefer to be called? I’m trying to come up with a nickname, so I don’t get you and my weapon partner confused.”

            “Well, there is this kid’s real name, but don’t know what it is,” Kurogane pointed out.

            “We don’t really bother him about it,” Fai shrugged. Mokona nodded in agreement.

            ‘Syaoran sweated nervously as Sakura curled her lips into a devious smile.

            “I know,” she began, “I’ll just call him Tsub-…”

            “NO.”

            ‘Syaoran’ covered her mouth before she could say his real name. She soon pushed it away.

            “Sorry,” she patted his shoulder, “Just kidding. Your last name’s Li, right? Like Syaoran’s…”

            “Oh…yeah, it is,” he nodded.

            “So I’ll just call you Li! How’s that?”

            He blinked then smiled a little.

            “I think I can deal with that,” he agreed, continuing the rest of their tour through Death City.


	30. Kimihiro

AN: Bleh. Okay. We’re calling TRC!Syaoran “Li” and TRC!Sakura “Princess Sakura”. Unless they’re speaking to each other, I don’t think it’ll be too confusing. I probably should’ve thought about this before putting a bunch of characters with the same name in this story. God.

            And now, more gay. More love. Here. Have some feels. Take all of them. And some Soul Eater. We’ve been missing that, haven’t we?

* * *

            Li didn’t have the heart to tell Sakura about Yukito’s…extracurricular activities with her brother. It probably wasn’t his business to tell her anyways. That’s, at least, what Fai advised him, but not before he laughed his ass off after Li told him about the cracked-open door and the “latex penis sock”.

            Death City was certainly one of the more modern places they’d been to. He told Princess Sakura all about it in their dream.

            “So, these versions of us are a meister and weapon?” she asked.

            “Yes,” he answered enthusiastically, “They get to travel to various places and reap evil souls. The sun and moon also have faces on them!”

            “Faces? Can I see?”

            He held out his hand, and she gripped it tightly. A surge of energy flooded through her arm, and she saw the images he spoke of in her mind. The sun and moon were smiling happy, if not menacing, grins. Blood dripped from the moon’s gums.

            “It’s in the middle of a desert!” she exclaimed happily, “And it’s so colorful!”

            “Yeah. It reminds me a little of Clow Country. I wish you could’ve come with us.”

            “With the way things are going, I wish I did too.”

            “What do you mean?”

            “Hold my hand again.”

            He obeyed, and the surge of energy went through his arm this time. In his mind, the people were fading in and out like radio waves. The buildings and desert were warping like static on a television. Li was starting to fear the worst.

            “Our time is coming,” she told him, “This is how I will die, and you will end up dying in this place you call Death City.”

            “But if you die there…”

            “We…” she pointed at her soul and the dormant feather in her chest, “…will disappear.”

            “But…”

            “Think about it, ‘Syaoran’! What if our souls disappear together like that? What if that’s what happens when people die? We can be together in that nothingness. It’ll…”

            “But…that’s just it. It’s nothingness. We wished to continue existing. Did we make that wish for nothing?”

            “Of course not.”

            “Then you need to leave that place.”

            “You know I can’t.”

            She was right. They were like birds with only one wing. While Kurogane and Fai gave him another wing to fly, it left Sakura in the cage they started in.

            “You’re right,” Li mumbled, “I’m sorry.”

            She held his face in her hands.

            “Princess…”

            “We’re alone, Syaoran,” he pouted, trying not to smile, “You can drop the formalities.”

            “…Sakura…”

            She touched her forehead to his.

            “That’s better.”

            Her lips touched his cheek, just below his left eye, before they fell into the darkness around them.

* * *

            Sakura saw the desert country fade away in her dreams, Princess Sakura fading along with it. She woke with a start and ran over to her Star Cards. She grabbed The Nameless, put it under her pillow with haste, and fell back to sleep. Despite her anxiety, she immediately fell into the deep slumber she had before.

            “Miss Sakura?” she called out.

            “You saw it?” the older woman said, turning over her shoulder and still graced in her pink and purple kimono-like dress.

            “Was that Clow Country? Is that happening right now?”

            “It is.”

            “Oh God! She’s…”

            “Princess Sakura, and her clone, will fade into Nothing with the rest of the desert land. Clow Reed is reaching closer to her. He will kill her, and everything will disappear. Only he will remain. After all, it _is_ a world based around _his_ wishes. By staying there and keeping Clow Country alive, the princess only let Clow’s wish rebirth itself as it is now, but she needs to stay there to continue living.”

            Sakura gripped her head again.

            “It’s a lot to take in. I’m sorry.”

            “It’s just…” Sakura added on, “They wished to continue living. But it only kept Clow’s desires and memories alive. Why them?!”

            “It’s always been this way,” Miss Sakura frowned, “He and I are connected. Any other version of myself and the person I love, his descendant, are connected as well.”

            “What connection do _I_ have with him exactly?”

            “It is your mission that conflicts with his. You are a separation from this chain he has between he and I. He won’t kill you. He will merely use you. …Like he used me…”

            Sakura looked over to see her mentor looking like she would cry. Miss Sakura gathered herself, and squatted down to talk to Sakura.

            “Listen to me very carefully,” she told her, “We can’t prevent their deaths, but we _can_ halt Clow’s plans with them. If this is to work, you will do exactly what I’m going to instruct you. Understand?”

            “What if I forget it?”

            Shutting her eyes, Miss Sakura chanted the invincible spell.

            “I’m sure you’ll be alright. Now, do exactly what I’m going to tell you. Understand?”

            Sakura nodded.

            “Okay, when you wake up, get Tomoyo, Meiling, and the three travelers. Using Mokona, I need you to contact Kimihiro…”

* * *

            “How’re you holding up, Kuro-tan?”

            Kurogane couldn’t sleep, and Fai obviously noticed. They shared a bed in the room they had, and the dark, tanned warrior turned to face the blonde mage.

            “That kid talked about dying again today. It’s pissing me off.”

            “He did make that wish to stay alive, so it _is_ troubling that he’s talking about it.”

            “Did you know?”

            “Surprisingly…no. I’m as baffled as you. Still, as long as this Clow fellow exists, I suppose it’s do or die for those children.”

            They were silent. Kurogane laid on his back again.

            “Still, it doesn’t make me any less sad,” Fai frowned.

            “They don’t deserve to die. We both know that.”

            “Yes, but in the end, we all have to die.”

            Kurogane stayed silent.

            “You’re just being the dad like always, aren’t you, Kuro-puu?”

            Fai smiled happily as Kurogane looked away, cheeks turning pink.

            “Shuddup…”

* * *

            The light beaming from Mokona’s head jewel formed a screen, like a projector, on the wall in front of them.

            “Why did Miss Sakura need you to bring us here?” Tomoyo asked.

            “I’m not really sure,” Sakura told her best friend, “But I’m sure we’ll figure it out.

            Syaoran, Sakura, Tomoyo, Meiling, and the travelers all stood before the image of a young-looking man with dark as night hair and glasses. One eye was brown while the other was blue. He wore a kimono loosely on his wirey framed body and smoked a long pipe, identical to Yuuko’s.

            “Hello, Mokona,” he greeted the white creature with a smile.

            “Hey Watanuki!” Mokona cheered.

            “I see you have very interesting company with you.”

            Sakura stepped forward.

            “Your name wouldn’t by chance be Sakura would it?” Watanuki asked.

            “It is,” she said, “My name’s Sakura Kinomoto.”

            “You have a wish I take it?”

            “Yes…we all do. We…we wish to bring Princess Sakura of Clow Country to Death City alive.”

            Li stood there wide-eyed. Even his companions were surprised by this.

            “Sakura, are you talking about that princess gal from your dream things?” Meiling interrupted.

            “Yeah,” Sakura nodded sternly, “She’s in danger. Kimihiro Watanuki, we need a way to bring her here without it causing her death.”

            “I cannot guarantee that she won’t die when she reaches Death City.”

            “I know,” Sakura frowned but then gave a determined look, “But I still want to make sure her soul doesn’t disappear completely.”

            Watanuki took another drag from the pipe and nodded approvingly.

            “I see,” he said, “Very well. I will grant your wish.”

            Sakura sighed in relief. Li’s eyes gleamed with hope, but his mind was still in disbelief. Syaoran only got more confused.

            “There is a price,” he told her, and Sakura nodded.

            “Hold on,” Tomoyo interrupted, “What does she have to pay exactly?”

            “Something she holds dear that is equivalent in the wish’s value,” the young man answered. Tomoyo frowned. What Sakura was asking for was a big deal.

            “Can it be anything?” Tomoyo asked.

            “Yes. Anything, physical or abstract.”

            Sakura would be risking a lot for this. After a moment, Syaoran realized this as well.

            “I…” he began.

            “How about this?” Tomoyo interrupted, and she pulled a necklace from around her neck.

            “Didn’t your mother give you that, Tomoyo?” Sakura asked.

            “If it has to be something precious, then that precisely why I’m offering it.”

            Eyeing it, Watanuki gave a light nod.

            “That will work perfectly,” he said, “That means you will be carrying out this wish. Are you willing to do that?”

            “Yes.”

            Sakura looked surprised. In her dream, she knew someone else that wasn’t herself would pay the price for this wish, but she didn’t expect it to be Tomoyo.

            Tomoyo fed the necklace to Mokona, and it popped up, appearing on the other side of the projection. Watanuki held it in his hand.

            “Bring your meister along for this,” he told Tomoyo. Meiling stepped up next to her. He held five beans in his hands. Feeding them through his end, they popped out of Mokona’s mouth, and Sakura snatched each one quickly.

            “If you eat one, it will take you where you want to go,” he told them, “There is one for each of you to go to Clow Country and then return home. There is also one for Princess Sakura to eat so she can reach Death City. This way, she will reach this place immediately without any trouble.”

            Sakura thanked Watanuki profusely, and the beam of light from Mokona’s gem vanished.

* * *

            With Sakura’s help, Tomoyo and Meiling formed a clear picture of Clow Country in their minds before each gulped a bean and vanished in a poof of smoke.

            This left Sakura and Syaoran with the rest of the group to do as they pleased.

            Li turned out to know a lot about magic, so Sakura ended up talking to him quite a bit. While Syaoran had no reason to feel jealous, it grew like a green bug in his throat. The two of them seemed to have a lot of chemistry, something he didn’t see having with her.

            “I can understand why you’d be jealous Syao-kun,” Fai shrugged, “I mean, he looks exactly like you and somehow she’s more interested in talking to him than you. Very depressing.”

            “THAT’S NOT IT!” Syaoran cried, face as red as a ripe tomato.

            “You’re not helping, ya’ damned idiot,” Kurogane muttered.

            “Well, if he doesn’t get a hold of that envy of his, she’s going to notice, they’ll fight, and he’ll be sad and feel like a big jerk,” Fai pointed out.

            Syaoran held his face in his hands.

            “He does this to everyone,” Kurogane told Syaoran, to which Fai kicked the muscled man in the shin in response. As Kurogane hunched over in pain, Fai proceeded to give Syaoran some actual advice.

            “Okay, Syao-kun, we’re new people, right?”

            “Right…”

            “So…what does your world’s Sakura-chan do when she meets new people?”

            “She…talks to them a lot. Gets to know them…”

            “Okay, so if this other Syaoran grew up under different circumstances, even though you two are very similar, do think he’s the same person as you?”

            “I guess not?”

            “So with that in mind, how do you think Sakura-chan views this Syaoran?”

            “…as a new person…that’s not like me?”

            “Exactly! And you don’t get jealous when she talks to other people she’s just meeting, right?”

            Syaoran thought about it. The only person that made him jealous was Hiragizawa, whom he had barely seen since the last time they met. Other than that, Syoaran didn’t get jealous with other people talking to Sakura. And he knew Sakura backed away from people that made her uncomfortable.

            “Not really,” he finally answered.

            “Right!” Fai smiled, “So don’t you worry. Syaoran has his own princess to worry about, Syao-kun.”

            He gave the young teen a heavy pat on the back.

            “Do you _have_ to give this poor kid a nickname too?” Kurogane groaned.

            “Uh oh!” Fai teased, “Is Kuro-tan _jealous_ too?”

            “Uuuu,” Mokona joined in, “Kuro-rin’s supper jelly!”

            “WHY THE HELL WOULD I BE JEALOUS OF SOME PUNK ASS KID, YOU IDIOTS?!” Kurogane roared before chasing after the comedic duo and leaving Syaoran alone. Spotting Li and Sakura, he raced over to them, the green bug shrinking down to the size of a harmless pea.

* * *

            “So who’re these people visiting?” Black«Star asked, passing the breadbasket.

            “They’re travelers from another dimension or something,” Soul grumbled, “I still have no idea what’s going on.”

            “Well, whatever the case, it seems that Yuuko and Sakura have a good handle on it,” Maka sighed.

            Everyone sat at the ground level dinner table in the Nakatsukasa’s apartment. Tsubaki had invited her fellow teachers and friends for dinner. She kept the meal closer to an American style diet, with corn on the cob, a rotisserie chicken, sweet potatoes, green beans, and bread.

            “Thank for picking up the chicken, Black«Star,” Tsubaki smiled.

            “Anytime, babe,” he grinned proudly, “It’s the one thing I can’t burn!”

            Maka gave Tsubaki a thumbs-up, as if to say, “ _You saved dinner oh my God thank you.”_            

            “So where are these people from specifically?” Tsubaki asked.

            “It’s some desert country, kind of like our city, only a little nicer,” Maka answered.

            “Ooo! Sounds interesting!”

            “Yeah, they’re ruled by a princess, I think.”

            “That makes no sense,” Soul interrupted, “If you’re a girl ruling an entire kingdom, shouldn’t you be called a queen?”

            “I guess it works differently there,” Maka shrugged, a tinge of disappointment in her voice.

            “That’s dumb,” Soul grumbled, mouth full of chicken.

            “You’re dumb,” Black«Star mocked, mouth also full of chicken.

            Soul swallowed his mouthful only to stick out his tongue. Black«Star opened his mouth, displaying the chewed-up chicken.

            “Oh my God, what are you, five?” Maka rolled her eyes.

            Tsubaki smacked Black«Star’s jaw shut, and he finished his bite of chicken.

            They later sat on some small couches with a couple of beers, talking.

            “How long are they staying in Death City?” Tsubaki asked, continuing the conversation from before.

            “Who knows,” Soul shrugged, “They said they’d leave when that little white rabbit thing told them it was time to go.”

            “Yeah, his name’s Mokona,” Maka added.

            “Oh, he sounds cute!” Tsubaki chirped.

            “He IS! He fits in the palm of your hand!”

            While the girls talked on and on about _that_ , Black«Star turned to Soul.

            “How’re the dangerous four doing?”

            “They’re the same,” Soul answered, “Only poor Sakura’s been fainting in class.”

            “No kidding.”

            “Yeah, Maka said she passed out about a week or two ago. It has something to do with releasing those Spirits of Clow or whatnot.”

            “Shouldn’t she stop?”

            “Yuuko whats-her-face says she has to keep at it. She’ll guess less tired and get stronger over time.”

            “Still, that’s pretty scary. Like…you could fall asleep at any minute.”

            “Yeah, although I don’t blame her. I never liked learning shit in the classroom.”

            “Me neither.”

            “Still, this is like…some serious narcolepsy.”

            “Narco-what?”

            “It’s what you can falling asleep out of nowhere. Maka told me.”

            “Heh…what a nerd…”

            “Yeah, but she’s my nerd. I’m just her dork.”


	31. Swarm

AN: This is gonna hurt me as much as it will hurt you. I am so, so sorry. There be people dying.

* * *

            “So you’ve met  _two_ Tomoyos?!” Sakura exclaimed.

            “Yes,” Li nodded, “Both somewhat different, but they were both high-standing ladies that were smart…if not a little eccentric, especially the one from Piffle.”

            “Is that the world with the pod racing?”

            “Heh heh…yeah.”

            “So cool!”

            They were chatting up about their own adventures at one of the balconies of the DWMA. ‘Syaoran’, or _Li_ as Sakura liked to call him, shared the similarities between Death City and other worlds he visited. Sakura told him about all of the people she met and all of the kishin she fought.

            “So…this world’s Syaoran assists you in battle?” Li asked.

            “Yeah,” Sakura explained, “He transforms into a sword, and I can wield him in battle!”

            “A sword? What does it look like?”

            “Um…well…it’s kinda…uh…he calls it a ‘jian’, I think. He says it’s a sword used for marial arts?”

            “Yes. It’s for Tai Chi.”

            “Ah yes! That’s it!”

            “I have one too. Here.”

            Clasping his hands together, Li formed a stream of light and fire, and a sword came out of his hand. He then showed it to her.

            “WHOA!” Sakura cried in amazement, “That looks EXACTLY what he turns into! With the red jewel in the hilt and the tassel…that’s so crazy!”

            She held it in her hands. It felt alive, almost like…

            “I can…feel your soul wavelength really strongly in this,” Sakura muttered, “It feels like…I’m holding my partner right now…”

            “They say a weapon is the extension of oneself,” he said, “I guess that’s why it feels like that.”

            “Yeah…he’s told me that. The extension of self thing…”

            She had a sad smile on her face. As she handed the sword back, Li smiled warmly at her.

            “You and him are so alike,” she said finally.

            “I figured as such.”

            “Although, you are a little more polite on the first impression. He was more…we didn’t get along when we first met. He’s rough around the edges.”

            “I see.”

            “But…I know he’s not really like that. He doesn’t show it, but he’s…a really nice…really good person. He’s pretty polite too, even though he doesn’t need to be all the time. I wish…he seems to be keeping something from me. I might just be paranoid, but he seems to be dealing with some emotions he doesn’t want to share with me. But we share a lot of things! So…I dunno…”

            “You know him really well, it seems.”

            Sakura’s cheeks went bright red.

            “Oh, well, yeah. I mean, we live in the same apartment.”

            “You’re in love with someone else, right?”

            “Huh? Oh, yeah! Yukito!”

            “What’s he like?”

            “Well, he likes to eat. He’s very kind and sweet. He’s supposed to be a weapon too, but I’m not sure what. He’s…he has another form named Yue. That guy doesn’t talk much.”

            “I see. You said he’s a little older than you? Has he dated anyone? Get jealous at all?”

            “Hm? Oh, no. I don’t think he’s ever really dated anyone. He just hangs out with my brother a lot and eat and talk.”

            “…so you don’t really know if he likes girls or boys or anything?”

            “I guess I’ve never really thought about it.”

            “What about your weapon partner?”

            “Hmm…I can’t say I’ve ever asked. He _did_ have a crush on Yukito too, but he doesn’t really talk about it all that much. He doesn't like talking about that stuff too much. He’s super shy when he talks about that sort of thing. Like…I asked him if he still liked Yukito. He said he wasn’t sure, and he got all blushy and stuff.”

            “I see…”

            “He makes cute faces when he does that.”

            “And your _just friends_ …”

            “Yup!”

            “I find that hard to believe…”

            Sakura looked confused.

            “You seem to know him better than this Yukito person.”

            “Well, he _is_ my weapon partner. I guess…I dunno…I feel more floaty around Yukito than I do with Syaoran anyways.”

            “Floaty?”

            “Yeah! Like…your stomach gets all filled with butterflies, you feel lighter, and the world looks a lot brighter. So…yeah! Floaty!”

            “What about him makes you feel… ‘floaty,’ exactly?”

            “I think it’s just love at first sight, but…Kero _did_ tell me this thing…”

            “What’s that?”

            “He said that people with power are drawn to each other, and it’s possible that what I’m feeling is, like, a reaction to the magic he carries…because his magic and mine stem from similar places…or something, but…”

            “…you don’t want to believe that your feelings for him aren’t real, right?”

            “…yeah! Exactly!”

            “You want your feelings to be valid?”

            “Yeah.”

            “Tell him.”

            “Huh?”

            “Tell this Yukito person how you’re feeling. You might get the…deeper connection you’re looking for…or not.”

            “But…he’s still too old for me…”

            “That doesn’t matter, Miss Kinomoto. If you want to be together with him, you need to let him know that.”

            “…yeah…I guess so…I can talk to him after you and the others leave, once all of this is settled.”

            “Good idea.”

            “But…what made you think I liked Syaoran more?”

            “…it might just be wishful thinking…it’s just…when seeing different versions of myself and the princess…one thing’s always consistent.”

            “What’s that?”

            “She and I always end up together…in love. Whether our ending is happy or not depends on the circumstances.”

            Sakura seemed doubtful, but continued listening.

            “Princess Sakura has shown me visions she’s had. There are so many versions of us…across many different universes, and we always end up together…no strike that…let me correct this…”

            There was a pause.

            “She told me three things were consistent in every dimension between us. The first was that we were always in the same dimension. The second was that we’d both meet at some point in our lives, and the third was that one of us would fall in love with the other before the other realized it.”

            Sakura continued listening.

            “But I suppose…the other reason I thought that was…I guess I was hoping…”

            Li looked sad. He knew why it wouldn’t work between Yukito and her, but telling her out front…seemed too cruel. It would have to be something she’d learn on her own. He knew it’d be more painful that way, but telling her the truth like this would be wrong…at least, in his eyes.

            “I don’t want to see you get your feelings hurt, Miss Kinomoto,” he told her. While Sakura’s cheeks went a little rosy, she looked confused.

            “I…um…I appreciate the concern, I guess, but I’ll be fine,” Sakura responded, “But…thanks. You’re a good friend.”

            Li’s face went from surprise to a soft smile.

            “I need to go talk to your partner,” he said, “Where can I find him, you think?”

            “Huh? Oh, he’s probably in the library,” Sakura answered.

            As Li walked away, Sakura began pondering over what he told her. So…versions of her and Syaoran always ended up together somehow, with one falling in love with the other before they realized it. Maybe her world was different from the others. She wasn’t sure. Still, the idea of being in love with Syaoran…. While it was strange, it didn’t really seem so terrible.

* * *

            The world around them was nothing what they had to picture in their mind in order to get here. Clow Country was warping into a dark, cloudy void, with parts of the desert city coming in like static. All that remained solid was the kingdom’s castle.

            “I think that’s where will need to go,” Tomoyo said.

            “Yeah,” Meiling nodded, “Makes sense. Not very many places for a princess to go around here.”

            Through their resonance, Meiling noticed something she never saw before in her own soul: a small pair of wings. Reaching for it, Tomoyo’s weapon form lengthened and grew wings, like if The FLY were being used.

            “Well, I’ll be!” Tomoyo exclaimed, “How did you do that?”

            “I…I don’t know,” Meiling stammered.

            “Maybe you have a Grigori soul like Sakura does!”

            “Heh…yeah right…”

            “No, I think so! It would make sense. Why we haven’t realized it before is a curious thing, though.”

            “Yeah…why hasn’t one of my teachers or anyone picked this up?”

            “I don’t know, but we better figure that out later.”

            Meiling nodded, mounting onto the scepter’s new form and flying towards the castle. She aimed for the balcony that came into her view. Middle eastern patterns adorned the walls and floors. Elaborate yet transparent curtains separated the entrance from the balcony into the room. Meiling, Sealing Wand in hand, drew back the curtain to see two people in the room.

            It was a bedroom. A monstrous distortion of Clow Reed hovered over a young woman in elaborate dress. She looked like Sakura.

            “HEY!” Meiling yelled, and the monstrous Clow looked up.

            He was wearing his signature round spectacles, but his entire face was warped and distorted. He lurched towards Meiling, and Tomoyo’s wand form turned into a scythe.

            Meiling guarded against a large, monstrous claw. Slashing it away, Clow fell back, leaning against the wall. Meiling stood in front of the bed Princess Sakura was lying on.

            And then, this version of Clow Reed turned his head turned towards the balcony, as if he heard something. Taking one last look at Meiling, then Princess Sakura, he flew out and jumped off the balcony, vanishing into thin air.

            Though still confused, Meiling ran over Princess Sakura, and Tomoyo returned to her human form.

            “Hey, princess??” Meiling cried, trying to shake the young woman awake. Tomoyo placed a hand on the princess’s shoulder. She began to stir, and she opened her eyes.

            Sitting up, Princess Sakura shook her head, which was adorned with medallions from a large headpiece that sat like a headband in her hair. Her clothes were adorned with the same, golden medallions, on her long skirt and her baggy but elaborate crop top. She wore crème colored harem pants and pointed flat slippers, and she sat on a traveling cloak that was lying on her bed. She grabbed it and started putting it on.

            “Are you here for me?” she asked the two girls, “Students of Lord Death?”

            They looked at each other.

            “You…knew we were coming?” Meiling asked.

            “I did,” the princess answered, “I saw you in a dream.”

            “You have the same ability as my friend,” Tomoyo smiled to herself.

            “I see,” Princess Sakura smiled back, “And this Sakura is a very important person to you. You’ve been given a wonderful chance from the first Sakura to live this new life, yes?”

            Tomoyo realized she was talking about Miss Sakura. She nodded.

            “The Gods of many worlds are smiling on both of you,” the princess told them, “Now, where are we headed?”

            Meiling dug one of the remaining beans from her pocket.

            “You need to eat this the same time we do,” Meiling instructed, “You also have to visualize the same place we’re heading to. Do you know what it…”

            Princess Sakura stopped her and took the bean. She closed her eyes.

            “A desert city…” Princess Sakura began, “As hot as my world. The buildings and streets are stone, but there are cards, and bikes, and other modern devices. The sun and moon…they smile at the fortune of others and laugh at future’s despair…”

            “She’s seen the laughing sun and the creepy moon…” Meiling muttered.

            “He showed me…” he smiled, “I see now…we _are_ destined to meet again…my most precious person.”

            “Well, we better hurry,” Tomoyo rushed, “The place is falling apart.”

            There was a rumble outside, and the shadows started swallowing up the castle. All three girls ate their magical beans and disappeared in a poof of smoke.

* * *

            It really was like staring into a mirror, every time they looked at each other. Syaoran and Li were now both reading in the library. It was even weirder that they were sitting in front of each other.

            “I wanna talk,” Li spoke up. They both set their books down. Li put his to the side. Syaoran still held his in his hands.

            “Is there someone important to you in this world?” Li asked.

            “I…I guess so,” Syaoran shrugged. He didn’t know what this was leading to.

            “Would you die for that person?”

            “…”

            “The reason I’m asking is…I want to make sure…you don’t make the same mistakes that I made. Don’t wait until it’s too late to say something.”

            “What do you mean?”

            “When I was young, I fell for the princess, and I never told her anything because…I either felt inferior or felt it was my duty to simply protect her. If something happens to…your important person, I don’t want you to have any regrets.”

            “Whoa, whoa. I don’t…I’m not…it’s not that…I like…are you saying that I’m…”

            “I probably shouldn’t tell you this, but…I suppose you already know that your meister considers you important, but not in the way you want her to…. But I would assume that you like her…more than you’d like to…”

            Syaoran looked down at his book. His face was bright red. Li smiled.

            Li would tell him something that would mean something later, and they left the library, awaiting the trials ahead.

* * *

            “You seem a little better now,” Sakura told her partner, when everyone decided to meet outside the DWMA.

            “Yeah…I was…a little caught up in my own head,” Syaoran responded.

            It was they, the travelers, Yuuko, as well as Maka and Soul.

            “You said that he was close by?” Maka asked Yuuko discreetly.

            “I’m afraid so,” she nodded sternly, “Clow will either come after ‘Syaoran’ or the princess, when she arrives.”

            “What if those three appear at the DWMA?” Soul pondered out loud.

            “They won’t,” Yuuko answered, “They’ll show up where Princess Sakura envisioned first. She’s never seen the DWMA, so she probably won’t show up there.”

            “How has she even seen Death City?”

            “…he’s shown her in her dreams.”

            “ ‘He’?”

            Yuuko’s eyes peered over at Li, who was conversing with Mokona.

            The evening sun soon disappeared behind ominous clouds, the street lamps soon lighting up, thinking it was already night.

            The monstrous version of Clow Reed from before soon appeared before everyone.

            “Pork bun, my sword,” Kurogane grunted.

            Mokona happily obliged. A large sword flew out of the white creature’s mouth, and Kurogane caught with swiftness.

            Everyone readied themselves, preparing for the powerful wizard’s onslaught.

* * *

            The three ladies landed in the desert sands with a thud, only a foot from the entrance to Death City. Getting up, they brushed the sand off themselves.

            “Well, that was unexpected,” Meiling grumbled, “Why aren’t we in the Academy?”

            “This Sakura probably hasn’t seen the inside or would know where to go inside the DWMA,” Tomoyo shrugged. Princess Sakura giggled innocently, scratching the back of her head. Their guess was confirmed.

            “Why’s it so cloudy?” Meiling complained.

            “He’s here,” the princess said sternly, “The one that was after me before.”

            “He’s already here?” Tomoyo exclaimed, “He’s fast…”

            “We have to hurry,” Princess Sakura instructed, “Everyone is…already trying to fight him.”

            The girls nodded, and they raced into the streets, the sign reading Death City swinging back and forth, as if a storm was coming.

* * *

            “ _Where are they?_ ” Clow Reed’s voice echoed, from the faceless creature before them.

            “What are you trying to prove, Clow?” Yuuko bellowed, “You tried to bring me to life before, and it failed!”

            “ _Only one of you is here,_ ” Clow echoed, as if he didn’t hear a word she said, “ _Where is the other?_ ”

            Li glared at Clow, who was staring right right at him.

            “You’re not a very good listener, are you?” Fai smirked, “What do you say we teach this poor boy a lesson, Kuro-tan?”

            “Seems alright to me,” Kurogane nodded to his significant other, “Sound good to you, kiddo?”

            Li nodded, and with that, the travelers flew toward Clow Reed. Paths of silver flew around them, light hitting the edge of Li and Kurogane’s swords. Fai took his long claws and tried to rival them with Clow’s now big, black claws.

            Black ooze surfaced from the cracks in the cobblestone streets, forming into strange shadowy creatures. Maka felt a familiar sickness fill the air.

            “Black blood…” she muttered, “But how?”

            “Maka,” her weapon said sternly, “Focus. No time for ‘whys’ and ‘hows’.”

            With a nod, she swung her scythe through several of these black-blooded creatures. Sakura followed suit with Syaoran’s weapon form, not wasting time with making him a scythe and using his typical sword form. Yuuko formed a magical barrier around herself, her magic circle appearing below her. It was a bizarre contortion of an eye in the center, surrounded by the lunar cycles, strange elemental symbols and winged shapes, and the twelve western zodiac symbols on the outer ring. Any monsters that came near her shield seemed to dissolve into wisps of smoke.

            It was all Yuuko could do to not try and go and choke the life out of the Clow Reed in front of her. However, this was only an aspect of him, and the weight of killing someone was not for her to bear. All she could do against Clow in her current state was wait.

* * *

            The swerved through streets and alleys before the black ooze creatures stopped them in their path. Tomoyo transformed, and Meiling swung through the gook while Princess Sakura followed behind.

            Despite how powerful she was, the princess couldn’t fight any of these creatures. She just ran, hoping she wouldn’t be too late.

* * *

            Fai and Kurogane were thrown full force against the building behind them. The black blood slithered towards them at inhuman speed, sticking them to the surface. Li continued to fight, slashing away at large, clawed hands that had yet to show any signs of damage.

            With a wave of his hand, Clow made the small minions below turn into long needles that shot up from the ground, injuring the unshielded fighters from below. Sakura was stabbed in the left calf. Maka was much luckier, only receiving a few scrapes. Syaoran turned back into his human form to aid his meister.

            Clow let his large, claw hand turn into a long, black lance. Looking over at Sakura and Syaoran, he decided to target them instead. Sakura turned the Star Key into the Star Wand with haste and caste a large shield spell. It only stopped Clow momentarily before he started tearing through the thin barrier.

            Before Yuuko or Maka could intervene, Li was sprinting towards them.

* * *

            As Meiling sliced through one last black blood creature, the three girls turned the corner. Princess Sakura saw one of the many visions she dreamed of.

            Either she or him would die first.

            Clow’s lance was piercing Li’s…’Syaoran’s’ stomach.

            Death City went silent.


	32. Four

AN: I’M SORRY. I’M SORRY. I’m SO, SO, SO sorry! I ASSURE YOU THINGS WILL BE OKAY AS THE STORY KEEPS GOING I PROMISE.

* * *

            “KID!”

            “SYAORAN-KUN!”

            “SYAORAN!”

            His friends called out to him as he fell to the ground, clutching his stomach. Li was laying on his back now, sword no longer in hand. All Sakura and Syaoran could do was watch. Maka attacked Clow Reed with full force. He tried to attack Sakura again.

            Syaoran held up a metal blade arm. However, Clow’s lance hand pierced right through it. As he bent over in pain, Sakura held him close. Meiling and Tomoyo ran towards them. Princess Sakura stood at a distance, slowly walking towards Li.

            “Oh my God, you two are bleeding!” Tomoyo cried.

            “We’re fine,” Sakura assured, “We need to worry about Li.”

            Princess Sakura fell to her knees next to Li’s side. Fai and Kurogane continued to struggle against the black blood. Mokona scurried away until he reached the princess.

            “Sakura!” the small creature cried, small tears welling up in his eyes.

            “Hello, Mokona,” she smiled weakly. Li began to cough up blood.

            “Syaoran, I…I came too late,” she said to him, “I’m sorry…”

            He grabbed her hand.

            “You were…the one…who said that…we’d die…” he muttered, “It’s okay.”

            “I just… I’ve seen us die, in so many universes. And it’s…the ones where you die before me that hurt the most.”

            Though she was trying not to, tears were falling down her cheeks.

            “I said I wouldn’t cry when I saw you again,” she sobbed, “This shouldn’t…you shouldn’t have to die before me…”

            Sakura was holding back tears as she listened to them talk. Li and the princess were looking at each other with so much tenderness that it hurt to look at them. As Princess Sakura touched her lover’s shoulder lightly, she turned to Syaoran and Sakura. Syaoran couldn’t help but notice how beautiful she was and couldn’t stop staring. She smiled at him, wiping the tears from her eyes.

            “I appreciate you two bringing me here in our final moments,” the princess addressed Tomoyo and Meiling, “As he’s dying, I will die too. Our wish was for both of us to live, so if one of us dies, the other will follow suit.”

            She winced and looked down at herself. There was blood all over her abdomen, a hole appearing in the same spot as Li’s wound. He reached towards her with his free hand, but she stopped him.

            “I’ll be fine,” the princess told him, “This is how it’s supposed to be.”

            Meiling shook her head.

            “This isn’t fair,” she gritted, “Weren’t we trying to save them? We brought her here only to have her die anyway?! And not just her! Her boyfriend here fucking bleeding to death! This was all pointless!!!”

            “Well, I’m sure Sakura knows what to do,” Tomoyo suggested, “Sakura? Is there a way to heal the other Syaoran’s wound or the princess’s?”

            Sakura frowned. The tears she was trying to hold back started to pour out. Syaoran rubbed her back with his uninjured arm and hand.

            “I have a plan, but…” Sakura weeped, “It involves the two of them dying…and I’d hoped that…”

            “Once a decision is set in motion that involves multiple peoples, nothing can change those circumstances,” Yuuko told her, coming from behind and placing a hand on her shoulder.

            “If the plan involved them dying, then that’s all there is to it,” Yuuko continued, “Knowing how you came up with this plan, I assume this person knew that the chances of them living was marginally small.”

            Sakura nodded, wiping her tears.

            “What is the next part of your plan, Sakura?” Yuuko asked gently. Sakura took a deep breath.

            “We…we need a shield,” she said, “We can’t let him interfere. Still, my shield wasn’t strong enough.”

            “No trouble at all,” Yuuko nodded, and she formed a shield around them.

            “Why couldn’t you use this when-OW!” Meiling yelped. Tomoyo was pinching her arm.

            “We weren’t here or know the circumstances, Meiling,” Tomoyo hissed. Meiling sighed and nodded.

            “I can only hold it up for so long,” Yuuko told them, “Whatever needs to be done, do it now.”

            “I have to wait for…for them to…pass on,” Sakura muttered, as she pointed to the young man and the princess holding hands. Princess Sakura was lying on top of Li, struggling to sit up.

            “You d-don’t…have to…push…yourself,” Li coughed out.

            “It’s…fine,” she forced out. Soon, blood came out of the corner of her mouth. She sat up just enough so that she could meet face to face with her most precious person. Their noses touched.

            Suddenly, Li’s hand took the back of her head to bring her closer. His lips pressed against hers. They could probably taste blood, but they didn’t seem to care.

            Everyone stared. Syaoran and Sakura felt a little awkward, but they looked over at each other only to look away, red-faced. Tomoyo and Meiling was smiling and teary-eyed while Yuuko merely smiled sadly.

            Once he let go, Li seemed to whisper something, and Princess Sakura whispered something back. No one but Sakura heard it.

            “ _I love you._ ”

            “ _I love you, too._ ”

            They both fell limp to the ground, the princess draped over the other. Then, something peculiar happened. While their souls began to appear, their bodies dissolved away.

            Four souls appeared before them.

            “Four?” Tomoyo enquired aloud.

            “But…how?” Meiling mumbled.

            “SAKURA, HURRY!” Yuuko beckoned, as the shield around them started to get a little weaker. Sakura nodded and drew two cards.

* * *

_“Listen to me very carefully,” she told her, “We can’t prevent their deaths, but we can halt Clow’s plans with them. If this is to work, you will do exactly what I’m going to instruct you. Understand?”_

_“What if I forget it?”_

_Shutting her eyes, Miss Sakura chanted the invincible spell._

_“I’m sure you’ll be alright. Now, do exactly what I’m going to tell you. Understand?”_

_Sakura nodded._

_“Okay, when you wake up, get Tomoyo, Meiling, and the three travelers. Using Mokona, I need you to contact Kimihiro…”_

            Once Miss Sakura explained to her about making a wish with the shop owner, she told Sakura how everything would plan out. Someone would intervene to make the payment for the wish. They would go to Clow Country and rescue Sakura. Clow Reed would then appear in Death City. In a battle, he would kill either ‘Syaoran’/Li or Princess Sakura first. Since their lives are connected by a wish, killing one would kill the other.

            “Isn’t there anyway to prevent that?” Sakura interrupted.

            “I’m the chances of that happening with this plan are small,” Miss said sadly, “Almost non-existent. However, with this plan, we can save their souls _and_ the plan to defeat Clow Reed will be…much less difficult.”

            “Okay…sorry. Keep going.”

            Miss Sakura explained that once they died, four souls would appear. The feathers that laid dormant in Li and Princess Sakura would become souls of their own again: the souls of their clone identities.

            “So…all of the versions of Sakura and Syaoran from my visions will be there,” Sakura reassured out loud.

            “Yes, and your job will be to seal them away,” Miss Sakura told her, “They will be kept safe until the time that they can be released and move on.”

            “So…they’ll be…like the spirits of Clow?”

            “Not quite. Spirits of Clow have lost their identities. These four souls that Clow wants will still retain their identities. They will just sit in a sort of limbo for a certain period of time.”

            “A limbo?”

            “That’s where this card comes in.”

            The VOID card appeared in front of them. The Nameless Card also appeared.

            “Using these two cards, you’ll be able to preserve their souls,” Miss Sakura explained further, “When you’ve reached your highest potential as a witch, you’ll be able to merge these two cards together. And when that happens, their souls and mine will be able to pass on.”

            “But, I can use VOID,” Sakura exclaimed, “I’ve tried, but it doesn’t do anything.”

            “Yes. VOID is a card only I can use, so this is where the Nameless Card comes in. You’ll pull both cards out, and with The Nameless Card, you’ll summon me. With my power, I can awaken The VOID, and together, we’ll seal the four souls away.”

            Sakura nodded, finally seeing the plan come together.

            “However, in order to activate the card, you must call out my name.”

            “…’Miss Sakura’?”

            “Heh heh, sadly no. No, you will have to call out my full name: Sakura Kinomoto. However, you will have to picture a version of myself, since you and I share the same name.”

            She summoned a version of herself when she was in middle school. It looked a lot like Sakura, but still different. She was wearing the Tomoeda Middle School uniform, complete with the black, red, and white Sakura knew so well. Still, this Sakura had more color to her, with lighter hair, much like what Miss Sakura had.

            “This was me, when I was fourteen,” Miss Sakura told her, “This is the image you should picture.”

            Sakura looked at the image very carefully, then nodded. The image vanished.

            “Remember: shout ‘Sakura Kinomoto’ when you take out The Nameless,” Miss Sakura repeated, “Everything will go alright from there. Understand?”

            “But…there’s still so much I don’t understand,” Sakura cried, “What does capturing and releasing these souls, including yours, have to do with defeating Clow Reed?”

            The world around them grew brighter.

            “I’m afraid I can’t tell you now,” Miss said sadly, “But I assure you, all of it will make sense in due time.”

            As Miss Sakura faded away, Sakura could’ve sworn she saw her mouth out the words, “I’m sorry.”

* * *

            She held up The Nameless Card.

            “ _SAKURA KINOMOTO!_ ” Sakura cried, as the card spun and came to life. The shield around everyone disappeared, leaving Clow Reed a chance to strike. Maka and Soul weren’t quick enough as Clow sped down towards the four blue orbs below. As he tried to grab them, a form appeared, holding the four souls in her arms, as a mother holds a child.

            It was Miss Sakura.

            “ _Hold up the other card!_ ” she echoed, and Sakura obliged.

            “ _VOID!_ ” they both called out, and the souls soon shaped into human forms.

            Two Syaorans. Two Sakuras. While the real versions wore their clothes from before, which were traditional for their country, the clones were dressed differently. Clone Syaoran had on a black turtleneck tank and baggy khaki pants with black boots. An army green cloak, tattered and worn, flew around like a cape. Clone Sakura was in a small but elaborate white dress, with long, white pieces of cloth that hung like wings behind her. Her feet were bare. All four of them smiled at Sakura.

            “Thank you,” they all said, before disappearing into spirals of smoke and air into The VOID card. Once it was all there, the card fluttered to the ground. Miss Sakura levitated it towards Sakura lightly.

            Clow Reed, while faceless, was now visibly livid.

            “ _What have you done?!_ ” he bellowed.

            “Taken away one of your options,” Miss Sakura told him flatly, “Sorry to ruin your plans, but they’re interfering with mine.”

            “ _YOU’RE A FOOL!_ ” he roared, “ _YOU’RE STILL A FOOL! YOU THINK YOU CAN REPAIR WHAT DAMAGE HAS BEEN DONE?! IT’S IMPOSSIBLE._ ”

            “So is raising the dead,” Miss Sakura snapped, “And I know I can’t fix what you broke. The past cannot be changed, but I won’t let YOU RUIN THE FUTURE FOR ANYONE ELSE!”

            “ _MY PATH IS ALREADY SET! YOU CAN’T STOP ME! FATE HAS ALREADY DECIDED!_ ”

            “We’ll see about that, Clow.”

            And with that, Miss Sakura returned to The Nameless Card, and Clow Reed vanished. Kurogane and Fai were finally unstuck from the wall, and they landed with a loud CLACK.

            “Is everyone okay?” Maka checked with everyone, and then going into a small panic at Sakura and Syaoran’s injuries.

            “We’ll need to take them to Doctor Stein,” Maka said. Soul nodded, somewhat reluctantly.

            As Kurogane and Fai lifted Syaoran and Sakura on their backs, respectively, Mokona began to cry on Sakura’s shoulder. She petted him comfortingly before falling asleep, tired from the battle and the tears she already shed.

* * *

            The three of them were there when she woke up. Syaoran was asleep in the bed next to hers. The lower half of her left leg was heavily bandaged. Syaoran’s right arm was also heavily bandaged and sat against his body in a makeshift sling. Fai put flowers by her bedside while Mokona hopped to Sakura’s side.

            “Sakura!” the creature cried in relief.

            “Hey, Mokona!” Sakura smiled warmly. She held him in the palms of her hands.

            “You were out most of the day yesterday,” Fai told her, “And we…we wanted to say goodbye…before we go.”           

            “You can’t stay?” Sakura asked.

            “As fun as that would be, we have to move on,” Fai said sadly, “While they may not physically be with us, you’re still keeping them alive. And if we want you to succeed in whatever you’re trying to accomplish, we agreed to put in our half of the bargain.”

            “We spoke to Watanuki while you were sleeping,” Mokona mumbled, “We told him we had a wish for you.”

            Sakura realized they were talking about Li and Princess Sakura. She looked at all of them, waiting.

            “We wished to defeat Clow Reed,” Kurogane told her.

            “We have to wait for the right time, but as the payment, we have to travel around until the time comes for you fight him,” Mokona finished.

            “While it was sad to watch, we came to an understanding that what your doing is to benefit the Syaoran and Sakura of our worlds,” Fai continued, “And, seeing how he interfered with our lives…we want to assist in any way we can.”

            Sakura looked surprised, but she smiled brightly.

            “Thank you,” she said, “All of you. I’ll…I’ll never forget you, and I hope that when you return, I’ll be stronger than ever.”

            “I can’t wait to see it,” Fai smiled warmly, taking her hand and giving it a firm shake. Kurogane then walked up to her and ruffled her hair.

            “Take care, kiddo,” he muttered.

            Mokona then hopped up and gave Sakura a peck on the cheek.

            “Bye bye, Sakura!”

            Touching her cheek, she waved goodbye. Mokona soon jumped over to Syaoran’s bedside and pecked him on the cheek as well. He twitched before opening his eyes.

            “He’s awake!” the small creature cried in joy, “Syao-kun’s awaaaake!”

            Syaoran slow sat up, wincing at the pain in his arm. Fai came over and shook the young man’s left hand instead of the right.

            “We just came to say good bye, and good luck,” Fai said, “It was a pleasure to meet you.”

            Syaoran nodded, smiling a little. Kurogane then walked over, staring at him.

            “If you’re anything like the kid, here’s some advice,” he said, “Don’t get so focused that you forget what’s important.”

            Syaoran was confused, but he still nodded and took the advice to heart. With that, Kurogane ruffled Syaoran’s hair.

            “You take care too, kid,” he grunted, and everyone waved goodbye while exiting the room.

            Sakura lay back down in bed.

            “How’re you feelin’?” she asked her partner.

            “My arm feels awful,” Syaoran mumbled, “But I’m good, otherwise.”

            “Same, only it’s my leg.”

            “You think we’ll see them again?”

            “I’m sure we will.”

            He seemed confused at why she was sure of this.

            “I’ll tell you later. Right now…I can feel the sunshine, and I want to close my eyes.”

            The sun came in through the doctor’s office windows, and Sakura shut her eyes. Syaoran sat up and looked outside.

            Though the two of them couldn’t make it, everyone else came out to see Kurogane, Fai, and Mokona off: Maka and Soul, Black«Star and Tsubaki, Lord Death II with Liz and Patti, and finally, Yuuko Ichihara. Mokona grew large wings as a magic circle similar to Yuuko appeared below them, and Kurogane and Fai disappeared into Mokona’s large mouth. The creature flew up into the sky and soon vanished.

            From the window, Syaoran thought it looked like a rocket going up into space.


	33. Spread

AN: Hey…did you know? Their blood is black. There is no madness of boobs like in the Soul Eater manga, so I apologize. I’m sure a lot of you are _very_ upset, as I add emphases of sarcasm. And if you haven’t read the Soul Eater manga, I swear I’m not making that boob madness up. I’m going to go cry about it in a corner while you read this.

* * *

            In the inky blackness of the world around them, the four, newly captured souls sat and waited. It was ‘Syaoran’ or rather Li, Clone Syaoran, Princess Sakura, and Clone Sakura, together yet completely alone.

            “So what happens now?” Clone Syaoran asked.

            “We wait,” a voice echoed.

            Miss Sakura appeared before them.

            “You were…that girl…” Clone Sakura muttered to herself.

            “Yes, I am,” Miss Sakura smiled sadly. She bowed her head low.

            “I want to…apologize to all of you,” she sighed, “I made a selfish wish before, and now, you’re all paying for it. Rest assured, I hope that what comes next will make up for what I’ve done.”

            “Do you mean…like…the whole…us dying?” Li asked, “The…bringing us here?”

            The princess patted his arm, shaking her hand.

            “She’s talking about something before this,” she said, “I’ve shown you…from Sakura Li’s memories?”

            She pointed at Clone Sakura. Li took a moment but soon grasped what she was talking about and nodded.

            “Now we wait,” Miss Sakura said, “Those children have challenges ahead, and young Sakura has a decision to make.”

            “And what is that?” Li interjected.

            “She must decide to either to follow the path Clow’s given, or she must create her own path.”

            “The one you created for her…” a voice much lower than hers echoed. Surprised, Miss Sakura turned around.

            It was an older version of Syaoran Li. He wore blue-green robes with matching pants. Interestingly, it coordinated with Miss Sakura’s outfit. He looked down at himself and laughed.

            “I see Tomoyo’s clothes came with us to this strange place,” he chuckled. Miss Sakura embraced him tightly, sobbing.

            “You made it,” she wept, “You’re here. You’re really here!”

            “I can’t believe it myself,” he said, “But I guess it’s still true. I go where you go.”

            They looked into each other’s eyes, his arms wrapped around her waist. She let her forehead rest against his.

            “I missed you,” she whispered.

            “I missed you too,” he said, using his hand to wipe the tears off her face.

            The other four souls tried not to stare.

            “I think I knew how those two younger kids felt staring at _us_ ,” Princess Sakura murmured to Li.

            “Awkward?” he asked.

            “Yup.”

            Miss Sakura and the older Syaoran soon stopped and sat with the other four. They were all now in a perfect circle.

            “Sorry, it’s…been a while,” Miss Sakura said, embarrassed, “Now…take hands.”

            Everyone joined hands in the circle. Their bodies glowed with a dim light. Everyone soon felt very tired.

            “We will be here a while,” Miss Sakura said, “So you all can rest.”

            Everyone except her floated backwards into a deep sleep. Before she stood up, she kissed her lover, the older Syaoran, on the forehead.

            “I hate to leave like this,” she said, “However, I cannot rest yet, even if I wanted to. My wish hasn’t been fully granted yet.”

            With that, her form disappeared, leaving five souls to slumber in the purgatory of The VOID.

* * *

            As Sakura and Syaoran recovered from their injuries, something began to grow, like a virus or maybe a tumor. The black from their injuries left behind from Clow’s minions and his lance attack couldn’t be removed. As much as Dr. Stein wanted to try and fix it, even Maka and Soul tried, they couldn’t.

            The black seeped into their bloodstream; swimming like a fish through thin rivers of red blood, making it’s way to the heart. It would sit there infecting the soul until it grew restless. It would soon be one of their greatest strengths, but also terrible weakness.

            It was the continuation of this generation’s madness.

* * *

            Lord Death sat in a large chair in his large but empty domain, staring at the mirror in front of him.

            He knew that madness would never go away. He just didn’t think it’d develop the way it did. At first it was silly. Funny even. There was a strange obsession with breasts that grew among the Death City populous after the initial defeat of Kishin Asura.

            And then, it slowly faded away, like a bad dream, only to be replaced with something seemingly harmless, but had the potential to be harmful.

            Aside from the growing use of birth control products, many crimes surrounding couples seemed to surface. Many of them murder. A lot of the students were becoming restless. He loved her, but she loves another person. Then, they love someone else. Constant drama, never resolved, fights breaking out over it in the halls. While drama and emotional issues were common in people their age, the scale seemed unrealistically large. Most of the school seemed consumed in this constant inner strife.

            However, it was clear for God of Death, who saw things threw a somewhat more logical perspective, that the madness being spread wasn’t just from the moon. Clow might be using this as a way to divide the Academy. He was using something that could bind two people like Soul and Maka like glue, yet tear two people like Maka’s mother and her father, Spirit Albarn, apart.

            He supposed it was the madness of love. Still, it’s best not to think that love could be this destructive.

            He had to think of a way to help the students fight against these inner demons, before it got any worse.

* * *

            He was in the weird library again. Somehow, he remembered it. He woke up on top of a pile of books in a suit and tie get up. However, his blazer was misplaced.

            Syaoran got up, with the sharp corners of hardcover classics digging into every part of his body. It was lit red this time. He could’ve sworn it was green last time. It’d been a while.

            Once he dusted himself off and straightened his tie a little, his feet clacked against the checkerboard tile, his fingertips grazing every spine on the shelves. And then, he heard breathing. Heavy breathing. It wasn’t him. He followed the sound, each slow step clacking for each inhale and exhale.

            As the sound got louder, he could hear is was a young lady. In fact, for a moment, it sounded very close to his ear.

            Out of the corner of his eye, two people, boy and girl, were tangled in each other near a wall. He tried to look away, but soon he realized that this was where the sound was coming from.

            Oh God.

            He was going to be polite about this. Just hide his face. Look away. Walk off. Nothing to see. Still, the breathing was right in his ear. For a moment, maybe it was a his imagination, he could feel it. On his neck, right where his pulse was.

            It was hot in the room. He loosened his tie and undid a button on his shirt. He felt something warm and wet touch his neck, and hair on the back of his arms stood on end. There was no one in front of him, next to him, or on him. Nothing in his personal space but air.

            He tried to figure out what the feeling on his neck was. It wasn’t as if someone slobbered on his shoulder. It was soft, and…it felt like skin. Lips. He looked over.

            The girl had her mouth against the guy’s jugular. She peppered his neck with kisses until she found the spot she wanted and bit down hard enough to hurt a little, but not enough to draw blood.

            Syaoran yelped. He felt it. Teeth on his neck. Lips sucking on that spot. Oh God. He didn’t expect it to feel this good.

            He didn’t look, but he could somehow feel the pulling of fabric and the touching of skin. He felt something wet on his fingertips, though he wasn’t touching anything.

            And dear God, the sounds were killing him. This girl’s breathy moans were killing him. It also made his pants very uncomfortable.

            Okay, calm down. He needed to control himself. He’d done this before. He knew how to kill these sorts of sensations. Still, he involuntarily looked over again and saw the girl again.

            Sakura?

            No. No, no no. This was some sort of trick of the eye. He was sure, but no. That was her hair. Her adorable auburn hair cut short in that wild hairdo of hers. And while he could see much, he did still see a lot of skin. Long legs, arms, shoulders draped in loosened bra straps, and there was her bra. Oh, look, there was matching underwear lying right on the tile floor.

            Her legs were wrapped around some guy who seemed to be wearing a very similar dress shirt and pants. He saw an exact doppelganger of his tie. This guy _was_ wearing the same clothes. In fact, that guy looked like he had the exact same haircut he did. Same color too.

            Now, it was all too surreal.

            This Sakura must have seen him because her glazed over green eyes were looking right at him. The guy with her turned his head. It was his face. But his right eye was blue. The cornea was black.

            She touched his face to turn his attention back to her. Syaoran could hear her breathe out his name.

            “ _Syaoran._ ”

            He could cry.

            He heard a belt unbuckle and a fly unzip. He was looking away. He could stare at them until his eyes bled. He somehow didn’t mind. Still, he was going to be good. He wouldn’t look.

            “ _Yeah it’s okay._ ”

            He wasn’t looking.

            “ _I want to._ ”

            He didn’t hear Sakura’s voice in his ear.

            “ _Please._ ”

            This wasn’t real. It couldn’t be.

            “ _Please, Syaoran…_ ”

            Why did he want it to be real?

            He knew why when he felt it.

            The erection he’d tried to kill was hard as a rock and wasn’t budging, but he felt something warm circling around him. He heard a small moan of ecstasy in his ear.

            “ _Ah~_ ”

            There was no way in hell he could dream what this felt like. Could he? He wasn’t sure. However, he did know that he had keeled over on the tile floor. He was trying not to make any noise. He bit his lower lip, stifling a moan.

            He was inside her.

            He could feel her inner walls contract around him. And yet, she was over there, with some doppelganger. How many doppelgangers of him were there?

            His question left him in seconds.

            Her moans were louder. He grabbed the front of his hair tightly like he was going to tear it out of his scalp. His self-control was waning on him.

            He turned his head a little to see what exactly was happening, aside from feeling his meister’s…pussy, for lack of more elegant or better words other than “vagina.”

            He saw this version of himself thrusting ever so slow, in and out, against the wall. He held her legs, and she wrapped her arms around his neck for leverage. Oh dear God, why was he going so slow…

            Her moans of pleasure were hungry and desperate. He saw it on her face. She was…enjoying it, but she wanted more. He reached out his arm lying on the floor, as if could touch her, ask her what she wanted.

            “ _Please…more…_ ”

            And that did it. The pace was faster now. Oh God, it felt good. He didn’t care at this point. He let the air escape his lungs; breathy moans escaping from his throat. Somehow, that seemed to make this Sakura more riled up. Her walls tightened around his aching problem, and his breath hitched.

            It got faster. Her moans grew softer yet higher in pitch. He felt her nails claw at his shoulders, her mouth latched to the dip in his neck, eye squeezed tight, trying not to lose herself.

            As her walls tightened more and more, he grew closer and closer to the edge. And clearly so was she, because soon after, he felt those muscles spasm around him. It was much slicker than before and soon he tumbled over the edge with her.

            Sweat dribbled down his forehead as he woke up in bed, his room suddenly warmer, and his boxers sticky. While somewhat disappointed, he was somewhat relieved it was only a dream. He didn’t think he could handle something so strange.

            With his arm somewhat healed, he could feel the scar on his right arm pulse like a beating heart.

            He needed a shower and some clean underwear.

* * *

            She noticed his hair wasn’t dry. He must’ve used the shower. She was in pajamas eating cereal. Typical Saturday morning.

            “Hey!” she smiled happily.

            “Hey,” he waved casually. He joined her at the table, bowl in hand, and grabbed the cereal box.

            She was humming. Something nice must’ve been on her mind.

            “You seem really excited today,” Syaoran told her.

            “I’m just in such a good mood!” Sakura exclaimed happily, “I slept so well and feel so well rested. That hasn’t happened in what feels like for-EVER!”

            He smiled to himself.

            “Good to hear,” he said.

            “Yeah, I just feel so good today,” she said, “No dreams to talk about today either.”

            “Really?”

            “Yeah. It’s weird. It was all black. But I guess…the whole time, it felt like all of this energy was building up and then BOOM! There was this release of tension, and aw MAN! I just feel fantastic!”

            He nearly spilled his milk.

            “I don’t know what it was though.”

            “Where…uh…where was this tension exactly?”

            “Hmmm…I think it was…”

            She felt the sides of her body up and down before deciding where exactly she was thinking the tension was. Her hands rest on her lower abdomen and pressed there lightly. She then seemed to realize something.

            “I think it was in my…lower stomach?” she said, “But I…think I’ll check with Tomoyo on it.”

            Syaoran seemed genuinely confused.

            “Girl thing…”

            He seemed to get the hint that this was suddenly something they should cease talking about. However, he got the scary idea that she was feeling the dream he was having last night.

            She finished her bowl of cereal and got up.


	34. Chair

AN: The smutty saga has BEGUN! Sorry for the delay. Things have been hectic these past months. Also, ever notice this constant pattern with the black blood room being used for sex? I do, and I love it. I’m going to try and exploit it as much as possible.

* * *

            “Hey, baby,” some boy started, “Wanna hang out with _me_?”

            Sakura felt the presence of someone leaning really close to her. It was some guy. She recognized the face, as she did with most DWMA students, but the name escaped her. While she didn’t understand this boy’s intentions, something didn’t feel right. He was _way_ too close, and she was _not_ comfortable.

            “Oh, um…no thank you,” she said, shyly, and she backed away. As she turned around, she started walking away, but this jerk just grabbed her arm.

            “Aaww, c’mon, don’t be like that,” he coerced, “I’m just being friendly.”

            Sakura was starting to feel like being nice about this wasn’t going to get her away from him. She shoved his hand off and sped down the hallway towards the lockers.

            Guys seemed to be doing this a lot lately with her, and she was starting to get sick of it. So was her weapon.

            “Again?” he exclaimed in disbelief, “What’s with all of these guys swarming you?”

            “I dunno,” she groaned, “Tomoyo and Meiling are having the same problem.”

            Syaoran shut his locker door, his book for class and a library book in hand. He motioned to her if she wanted him to carry her books. She obliged and handed him her small stack.

            “I guess I wouldn’t mind so much if I didn’t get such a bad feeling from every single one of them,” Sakura sighed.

            “Is it, like, a soul wavelength thing?” her partner asked.

            “I guess. Maybe it’s my intuition more than anything.”

            “I see.”

            “Anyways, aside from the ‘bluh’ stuff, Tomoyo got invited to a party!”

            “Really?”

            “Yeah! It’s this small get-together on Friday. It’s a girl named Starla, and she told Tomoyo to bring friends. Meiling’s going, and I said yes too, and I wanted to know if you wanted to go too!”

            A party with a small group of people sounded harmless. Still, Syaoran wasn’t a party person, and he wouldn’t be caught dead at one anyways. However, what if something happened? What if the punch got spiked and Sakura ended up drunk…or worse. Some sort of protective instinct lit up in him. Maybe it was a weapon thing. Maybe it was something else. Still, what did _he_ have to worry about? Meiling and Tomoyo would be there too.

            Still, Sakura had this hopeful glint in her eyes and a big smile on her face that almost seemed to beg, “ _Please go to this party with me?”_

            “Sure,” he answered.

            “AWESOME!” she squealed, and she hugged him tightly. Then, she stopped.

            “Crap! I keep forgetting you don’t like that! I’m so--”

            “It’s fine,” he mumbled, shyly, “I don’t mind you hugging me…or whatever.”

            He finally said it. He’d wanted to tell her that, but he always seemed to lose the opportunity. She looked at him surprised.

            “Really?” she gaped, “You’re sure?”

            “Totally,” he smiled, his cheeks pinking a little.

            Her surprise immediately switched to joy, and she continued to hug him and wobble him back and forth. While he was thrown for a loop, her joy spread through him like the plague. He smiled and laughed with her.

            When she let go, he grabbed his hand, and they walked to class.

* * *

            Thank God, that dream didn’t happen again, but Syaoran still found himself in the pinstripe suit, all put together this time. His shoes clacked on the checkboard tile once again. The room around him was red. It looked like a lounge, maybe a bedroom.

            Someone sat on a bed, the sheets wrapped around them like a cocoon. They sat up. It was a girl. It looked…like Sakura.

            Oh dear, not again.

            “Sakura?” he called. She turned her head over her right shoulder. Her right eye flashed green.

            “What are you…”

            Before he could finish, the sheets fell off her shoulders. She wasn’t wearing any clothes. Well, she had on lingerie, but it didn’t make the situation less shocking for him. As soon as he saw, he turned his face away, flushed.

            “Oh shi- SORRY! IDIDN’TMEANTO…”

            She giggled. He peaked to see that she had turned a little more towards him and had a devilish smirk on her face.

            But something _really_ wasn’t right because something was happening to her left eye. The cornea was jet black, and tears seemed to pour from it. They were black too.

            “Hey,” she cooed, her eyes dark with intents Syaoran didn’t want to acknowledge.

            H-H-Hey…” he managed to stutter out. His tie felt tight and he started to loosen it. She noticed.

            “Are you getting warm in here?” she asked. He didn’t answer, but she grabbed his tie and he backed his hands away. With every step she took toward him, he took a step back. He could swear he could hear a second pair of shoes clack on the tile.

            “Here,” she said, adjusting his tie, “Why don’t you make yourself more…comfortable.”

            As she said this. She pulled his tie tightly into his collar, too tight to be comfortable but not enough to choke him. She pushed him into the chair behind him before grabbing his tie again like a leash. She leaned towards him, shoving her knee in between his legs and resting it on the edge of the seat.

            He was trapped now, and he saw what she was…barely wearing. A black, lacey bra with matching panties was paired with a black garter belt holding up her thigh high stockings. Turns out she _was_ wearing shoes: high heeled Mary Janes.  All the black did was accentuate her ivory, soft-looking skin.

            Syaoran felt close to choking. He didn’t know if it was what she was wearing, how she was looking at him, or the fact that his tie was too tight on his neck. This dark version of Sakura seemed to notice this.

            “Aaww, I’m sorry,” she cooed, “Too tight?”

            He nodded a little, and she giggled.

            “Okay, here.”

            She loosened it enough to unbutton the top collar button of his shirt. Then she tightened the knot where it was and gave the tie a good yank so that she was right up in his face.

            “Better?” she whispered. He could feel himself salivate, and he swallowed hard.

            Sakura decided she was bored with the tie thing and loosened the knot. With one quick movement, the tie flung out of her hand and onto the floor. She shoved her knee further in between his legs.

            “I’ve missed you, babe,” she breathed, “I still remember last time.”

            “L…L-Last time?” he stuttered.

            “Oh don’t tell me you forgot how you pinned me to the wall…”

            His mind flashed to that dream he had once before.

            “But that…wasn’t me…that was…”

            “Ah, but you felt it, right?”

            Her knee was now right against his crotch. His breath hitched.

            “I got to only feel a part of you then, I suppose,” he pouted, “But now, I have all of you in front of me…”

            She rubbed her knee gently against his crotch, and oh dear God.

            “Isn’t this nice?” he asked soothingly, as she unbuttoned more of his shirt. Oh Death, he could feel her hands on his chest. She trailed her fingers lightly down to his abs, and finally reached his belt buckle. After lingering there for a moment, she moved her knee and saddled herself on his lap.

            “Wha…” Syaoran choked, but Sakura put a finger to his lips.

            “Sshh, you don’t need to say a word,” she smiled, “Enjoy this now while you’re still asleep…”

            She kissed him full on the mouth, and he awoke with an aching feeling in his boxers. There was no way he would be able to just ignore it. Somehow he fell back asleep.

            He was back in the chair, this erotic version of Sakura still straddling his lap, and the warm of her crotch against his. She seemed annoyed.

            “Don’t you shut me out like that!” she pouted, with her arms crossed.             “Sorry…” he apologized instinctually. Then he stopped and shook his head.

            “Wait, wait, what is this even?” he asked, baffled, “You’re…you’re just part of my imagination, right?”

            “Yeah,” she shrugged, “So?”

            “But…why do you…why do you have to look like…like _her_? This isn’t right. I…”

            “You’re just friends with her, right?”

            “Well…yeah.”

            “You’ve never considered going further?”

            “What? No!”

            “Really? Never thought she looked pretty?”

            “Wait…no that’s not…”

            “Never wanted to touch those nice legs of hers?”

            She took one of his hands and placed it on her thigh.

            “N-No…?”

            “Never wanted to kiss her?”

            She softly pressed her lips against his. He froze, not sure really how to react or what to do. Her lips were warm and soft. As she massaged his shoulders and neck, he relaxed somewhat and instinctually kissed her back. His body melted, and she ran her hands down his body and started to loosen his belt. He took his hand off her leg and ran his fingers through her hair. She hummed with pleasure as she unzipped his pants. When he heard that, he stopped, breaking away from her lips.

            “What are you…?”

            She lifted herself up a little and reached for her panties. He reached for her arms quickly to stop her. This Sakura seemed confused.

            “Something wrong?”

            “This is…this is too much,” Syaoran got out, “I can’t…”

            “You don’t want me to…”

            Before she finished, he shook his head.

            “Going…too fast…” was all he could muster. She smiled and sat back down on his lap.

            “Aaww, but I want you so bad…” she moaned, as she grinded into him. He tried to stifle a moan himself.

            “Too…mmmm…” was all he could say. He let his head fall onto her shoulder.

            “It’s hurts, doesn’t it?” she said, “Wouldn’t you rather feel better?”

            She pulled his erection out of his pants. He flinched a little. He felt like he was going to explode his balls were so sore.

            “You poor thing,” she cooed, “Does it hurt a little?”

            He nodded.

            “Here, I’ll make you feel better, ok?”

            She wrapped her hand around the shaft and started to pump. He threw his head back and couldn’t control the moan that escaped his throat. She latched her mouth to his neck. Every nerve in his body lit up, muscles tensing and relaxing with every stroke of her hand.

            “Mmm…so thick,” she whispered in his ear. His breath hitched again. Oh God. This was embarrassing.

            She then got off his lap, erection still in hand, and parted his legs so she could kneel on the floor. She let go for a moment only to quickly tug off his pants and boxers. She started pumping him again, her face too close for comfort near his dick.

            As she stroked him more, she cupped his balls in her other hand, and he thought he was in some other galaxy. His mind was blank, and he couldn’t really think straight even if he tried. By Death, did he try. When he finally figured out how his brain worked, she gave the head of his erection a soft kiss. His heart leaped into his stomach. Then her mouth was on him, and he lost all brain function again.

            It was like that warm and wet feeling again, if not a little different. This felt truly real. Here was a girl giving him head. What he couldn’t get over though was that this girl had Sakura’s face. She hummed with pleasure as she bobbed her head up and down, which sent him over the moon and back.

            While he tried to stop himself from do so, he ran his fingers through her hair. He felt himself getting close. He tried to warn her, but words were failing him. Anything that came out of his mouth was either moans or awkward and incomplete words.

            It wasn’t long before he came in her mouth. He felt her swallow. Oh God, she swallowed it. He felt terrible. He knew she was some crazy dream, but it still looked like Sakura. He wouldn’t want to put her through something that he saw as degrading.

            However, she was sitting up, licking any leftover cum off her lips with a smirk, and had a crazed look in her eyes. Her left eye was a dark crimson, and the cornea was still black.

            “S…Sorry, I…” he breathed out, still catching his breath as he tugged his boxers and pants back on. Before he could zip his fly, she pushed him back in the chair.

            “It’s almost dawn,” she sighed, “So, I guess I better wake you. Don’t you worry about a thing, babe.”

            She summoned a black sword out of thin air.

            “I had a lot of fun. I’m sure you did too.”

            Gripping it, she let the tip of the blade touch his chest.

            “Hey, sweetheart? Did you know?”

            She prepared to strike. Syaoran was frozen in his seat.

            “My blood is black.”

            She stabbed him in the heart, and he sat up in bed, sweating bullets. Thankfully, his boxers weren’t in a mess.

* * *

            The student gym had a few kids in it, but it wasn’t a place that was very crowded. Sakura finished her last set of sit-ups with Syaoran spotting her.

            “Now, some stretches and we can practice some sword stuff, right?” she thought out loud. Syaoran nodded.

            She stretched her legs out in her comfy yoga pants. Syaoran did the same in a pair of basketball shorts. While he wore a loose tank, she stuck to just a sports bra. It was a hot summer, and she didn’t want to put on layers in this hot-ass gym. They both stretched out their arms, and then their sides, backs, and necks. Sakura hopped up and down, pumped and ready to train.

            “Okay!” she encouraged, “Let’s do this! I’ll take the lighter-colored one.”

            She grabbed a wooden Tai Chi sword, which was similar to Syaoran’s weapon form. She tossed him a similar replica only it was painted black. As they started practicing moves, Syaoran’s mind faltered, and he lost his balance. He fell to the blue matted floor with a thump.           

            “Oh gosh!” Sakura yelped, “Are you okay?”

            “Heh…yeah,” he chuckled weakly, “I’m fine.”

            “Are you feeling alright? You’ve been off lately, especially in here when we practice the sword stuff.”

            “I’m fine. I guess I’m just tired.”

            “Are you sleeping okay?”

            He didn’t answer.

            “Come on. Talk to me. Something’s wrong.”

            “Really, Sakura, I’m fine.”

            She wasn’t buying it. He looked really sad, and he wasn’t looking her in the eye. Her brows furrowed, and the skin on her forehead puckered and wrinkled. She was getting agitated.

            “Don’t bullshit me, Syaoran.”

            She didn’t curse very much, so Syaoran did a small double take whenever she did. He sighed and got frustrated. She was clearly not happy, and she was going to press him harder to get him to talk. He didn’t want to talk about it. What friend would want to hear that you had a dream about them giving you a blowjob? He felt the back of his ears heat up.

            “I don’t want to talk about it,” he groaned.

            “Well, why not?” she huffed.

            “Because.”

            “Because what?”

            “Sakura, did it every occur to you that there’s stuff I don’t want to tell you?”

            “Well, excuse me for being concerned about my friend, okay?”

            She looked hurt by the near venom he spat out, and he knew it. He should apologize somehow. Still, it did NOT want to tell her what was going on. That hormones are a bitch? That had to be why he was dreaming about some sexy version of Sakura, right? Yes. Yes, hormones. Definitely just hormones.

            “Look, I’m sorry,” he finally got out, “I just…can’t talk about this…with you. I wish I could. I’m just…not comfortable talking about it.”

            Sakura looked sad, but she seemed to understand. She rested her head on his shoulder.

            “Okay,” she sighed, “Just…you know you can talk to me if you have a problem, right?”

            “I know,” he nodded, “If I could talk to you about this, I would, but… I can’t.”

            “Is there anything I _can_ do?”

            “Just…trust me, and know that I trust you.”

            “You trust me? Really?”

            “I wouldn’t be your partner if I didn’t.”

            She giggled, and they smiled for a brief moment at each other. Syaoran saw a look in her eyes that made his heart hurt a little. She seemed to care so much.

            “I’m going to clean up,” he told her, getting up off the floor, “How about you?”

            “I’m going to practice a bit more,” she answered, determination written all over her face.

            “Alright, I’ll wait for you after I wash up.”

            “Okay. See you out there!”

            She grabbed the wood Tai Chi sword and started practicing her strikes. Strike down. Slash left. Slash right. Kick. Block. Thrust forward. 

* * *

             She admitted that she was having a hard time focusing herself. Sakura still remembered the dream. Strangely, it wasn’t some look into the future. It certainly didn’t come off that way.

            It was the checkerboard tile floor, the wall of mirrors, and the dim lighting. She walked down the hall, her black dress swishing across her legs as her high-heeled Mary Janes clacked on the floor. She ran her gloved hands across the mirrors, and then she heard another pair of shoes clacking on the other side of the wall. She stopped, and so did the other set of feet. She rested her back against the mirror behind her, her heart racing. She started walking again, sidestepping and keeping her back to the mirror. The other pair of shoes started again, and they both walked to a silent rhythm.

            And then, the breathing started. It wasn’t Sakura’s breathing. It was heavy and somewhat erotic. As she walked along the mirrored wall, the breathing got closer, and her steps quickened. As she sped up, so did the breathing, hers or whoever else was making that noise.

            She turned at the end of the wall and saw the other side. There was no one there. The breathing that wasn’t hers still continued, and she looked around. Then, red began to appear, and she saw it.

            It was herself, pinned against a dark red wall. This doppelganger’s dress was on the floor along with her shoes and her panties.

            Oh dear.

            This girl was necking a young man that looked a lot like someone she knew. She swore it looked like Syaoran, but there was no way. That was until she got a better view.

            OH DEAR.

            It _was_ him, only different. His right eye was bright blue, like the Clone Syaoran from her visions of the travelers. However, the cornea was black. And then, she saw this other version of herself. Her left eye was dark red, and the cornea was also black. However, it also seemed to be leaking a black fluid.

            She was grinning at her, showing her teeth maniacally like the Cheshire Cat. She started to giggle uncontrollably. Her gaze then turned to this other Syaoran, smirking suggestively. And then, Sakura felt very moist between her legs.

            She felt something like fingers enter her, yet there was no one there. She shut her legs tightly. It happened again, the fingers curling and stroking the top of her inner walls. It made her gasp. Oh God.

            I wasn’t long before she fell to her knees, the pleasure too intense for her to stand up. On her hands and knees, she felt the invisible fingers leave her only to be replaced with something much…thicker. Larger.

            Oh Death.

            It felt strange and slightly uncomfortable, but she felt herself adjust, and pleasure soon came after. She fell to her side and rolled onto her back. She looked over at the two fucking each other against the wall.

            She could feel every thrust he gave that other version of her. She heard him breathing in her ear, with moans and grunts, which lit a fire in her belly. She kept moaning over and over, unable to control the sounds escaping her throat. It all felt strangely good. It wasn’t long before her muscles tightened and released so much that she went of the edge.

            That was when she woke up. She had to change her underwear, and she didn’t have a dream like it since.


	35. Distance

AN: This kid better get a clue. There are more important things to worry about than black blood wet dreams and angst. But what could be more important than that? I dunno, maybe that crazy sorcerer or something. NOPE! More shameless smut! Derpy derp!

* * *

            Sakura was starting to get pissed off. Her weapon partner was nowhere to be seen these days. That party they wanted to go to was in a few days. They were after Clow Reed and his growing followers that were turning into kishin souls. She needed his strength and support.

            She turned to Meiling and Tomoyo to vent.

            “I haven’t seen him,” Meiling shrugged.

            “Neither have I,” Tomoyo sighed, shaking her head, “I hope that nothing’s wrong.”

            “Me too,” Sakura grumbled, “So that the only thing wrong with him will be the black eye I give him. I SWEAR! WHERE THE HELL IS HE?!”

            She always seemed to curse when she was extremely upset. Tomoyo patted her friend’s shoulder reassuringly.

            “I’m sure he’ll turn up,” she assured, “He wouldn’t disappear like this if he didn’t have some sort of good reason. Would that be correct to assume, Meiling?”

            Meiling nodded.

            “He usually does this when he’s super stressed. Give him time. He’ll come back and apologize and stuff. A slug in the face wouldn’t hurt though, Sakura. Totally understand.”

            Sakura felt a little better, but she was still simmering. Still, she was more worried than anything. She would definitely slug him, though. Just not in the face.

* * *

            The dark room dreams, as she liked to call them, came more frequently. This dream, however, seemed a little calmer. Her heels clacked against the checkerboard tile once more as she laid eyes on a very luxurious-looking red chair.

She was wearing her long, elegant black dress again and her extra-long matching satin gloves. The taffeta and tulle rustled with every step she made in her black, strap-on pumps. The dress swished around as she slowly walked up to the chair and then sat down. It was incredibly comfortable, like she would melt into the cushions. She didn't bother taking off her shoes. She just curled up in the large chair and felt of asleep, the leather and her taffeta dress crinkling, as she got comfortable.

She cradled herself in the chair’s warmth, but soon felt the sensation of a hand stroking her hair. She looked up to see the strange version of Syaoran leaning against the back of the chair.

            Black suit with white pinstripes, a dark red button-up, and a solid black tie, he stared down at her lovingly. However, he didn’t seem to really smile. She couldn’t tell if the thrum of her heart was thrill or terror. His face and his wavelength felt familiar, but something in his soul seemed different. She swore she saw something black around it.

            His eyes her filled with a dark fire that made her stomach do a flip or two. The blue in this Syaoran’s right eye was made more intense with the jet-black color of the eye’s cornea. He stopped stroking her hair for a moment.

            “You’re awake now,” he stated, “Good. It’s nice to see you again.”

            Sakura seemed confused.

            “Again?” she asked.

            “I take you haven’t forgotten the other night,” he told her.

            She slowly remembered her previous dream, where she saw him making love to another version of herself against a wall. Her face went red.

            “Ah…n-no, I haven’t,” she answered, “S-sorry. I shouldn’t have looked and what not. T-that was rude.”

            “Did you enjoy yourself?”

            “Oh, w-well…I didn’t really see much, I mean…”

            He shook his head, chuckling softly.

            “That’s not what I meant, Princess…”

            That caught her off guard. He was addressing her like Li addressed Princess Sakura. Something about that made her stomach flip.

            “Oh no, I’m not…Just…just call me Sakura, it’s…”

            “But the other night, you asked me to call you that.”

            “I don’t remember ever…”

            “Oh…yes, I suppose _that_ part of you did.”

            “The…the other me? The girl with black leaking from her eye?”

            He gave her a light nod.

            “Who was she?”

            “She was you. Part of you.”

            Sakura looked bewildered.

            “Now, you and her are of one mind.”

            He pointed at her dress. Parts of the fabric around her torso began to liquefy. Terrified, she tried scooping up the liquid around her breasts and cover herself. Sadly, the dark gook only slipped through her fingers, landing on the skirt of her dress and dripping onto the dark, red leather chair. The liquid smeared across her chest, dark enough to cover some things, but not dark enough to hide her skin. She swore it smelled metallic, like blood.

            While one glowed arm covered her chest, she sniffed the other hand to make sure she wasn’t imagining.

            She was right. It _was_ blood.

            Her heart sank.

            “You share the same blood,” her partner’s copy continued, “Your blood is black now. With it, you’ll become more powerful, even more than you already are.”

            “My blood is…black?” she shivered, gripping her shoulders. She felt a cold chill go down her spine. Noticing this, this dark version of Syaoran took off his pinstripe jacket, leaned Sakura forward, and places the suit jacket around her shoulders.

            “Oh…thank you,” she said, blinking. His eyes were gentle, but he still didn’t smile.

            “Since you are one with her now,” he went on, “the madness is nearly complete. You share a very strong bond with your weapon, so I look like this.”

            He gestured at himself, showing his pinstripe vest, red shirt, and black tie. He undid the buttons at the cuffs and started rolling up his sleeves. Sakura slipped her arms in his jacket and did her best to cover her naked chest. She felt the silk on her skin. Something about it made her heart beat fast.

            “Are you warmer now, Princess?” he asked. She blushed when he called her “princess” again, but nodded.

            “Yeah, and…look, you really don’t have to call me that,” she insisted.

            “What if I _want_ to?”

            She blinked. He was at her feet, kneeling by the red chair. She was hugging her knees, the heels of her shoes digging into the leather. He looked at her feet.

            “May I?” he asked, touching the top of her foot. She didn’t know what he wanted to do, but she nodded.

            He took her foot and started to gently take off her shoe. The straps were untied and the shoe came off with ease. He let it fall to the floor with a clack.

            “They look sore,” he said, and he started to massage her feet. She was surprised but didn’t really try to stop him. She let down her other foot and relaxed as he massaged her foot through the hosiery. When she realized her feet weren’t bare, she became aware of some sort of metal buckle or small clip pressing on the back of her though. _Oh_ , she thought, _Garter belt and stockings, I guess_.

            The Syaoran attending her foot soon proceeded to take off her other shoe and give that foot the same treatment. She looked down at him and noticed the lower half of his arms from his rolled up sleeves. She’d seen Syaoran’s arms all the time, and yet something about this appearance of his made him look very attractive. She couldn’t explain why.

            When he finished with her feet, she subconsciously pulled up the skirt of her dress to her knees. Her calves were now visible. The young man in front of her raised an eyebrow and smiled.

            “Would you like me to massage your legs as well?” he asked. Realizing what she just did, Sakura’s cheeks turned slightly pink.

            “Oh, um…sure!” she shrugged. Her body relaxed even more as he began massaging her calf. Somehow, it felt much nicer, and pleasure began to flow through her body. Sakura looked at his hands. They were smooth on the top with no hair, but she saw a vein or two pulsed as he moved his fingers. She remembered that he had callused fingers, but she couldn’t feel them very much through the stockings. She sighed.

            “Is this alright?” he asked. She hummed back a yes.

            “Would it be better if I took these off?”

            He motioned to her stockings. This meant pulling up more of her dress, and Sakura blushed at the idea of looking at her legs with the stockings and garter belt. She shook her head.

            “I’m fine,” she mumbled, and he smiled, massaging her other calf. And then, he said something strange.

            “Is there anything that you’d _like_ me to take off?”

            They stared at each other. She saw him tugging at his tie.

            “Well…I mean…you can take off your tie, if you want,” she suggested.

            He undid his tie, slowly undoing the knot before sliding it out of the collar and throwing it aside.

            “Anything else, Princess?” he asked. She noticed a sort of low tone in his voice when he said it. It made her thighs press together and warm sensations occur between her legs. Her face turned a darker shade of red. He was looking at her with a dark sort of fire in his eyes.

            “Your…your vest,” she decided.

            He slowly undid the pinstripe vest and threw it over with the tie. Under his suit jacket, Sakura felt more of the bodice of her dress melting away, the smears she left before now gone. She felt her bare breasts light brush against the silk lining inside the jacket, and she took in a breath of air. The warmth between her thighs was increasing, and there was a strange wet sensation in her panties.

            This version of Syaoran stared up at her, waiting for her to give her a new order. She shifted in her chair, trying to make the strange sensations between her thighs go away. They only increased.

            “Is there anything else you want from me?” he asked in a lower voice.

            “I…I, um…mmmgh…”

            She couldn’t stop the growing moisture in her underwear and the heat that was now aching in her thighs. She knew she wanted something, but she didn’t know how to express it…or should.

            “You look uncomfortable,” he addressed, noticing her shifting in her chair.

            “Oh…nngh…a little,” she murmured, “I…don’t know if this is appropriate though…um…it’s…aching…in between my…my legs.”

            Seeming aware of what was happening he got up off the floor. This person with Syaoran’s face seemed to hover in front of her.

            “What would you like me to do?” he asked.

            “I…I don’t know…” she whispered.

            “Would a kiss help, you think?”

            He heart leaped. Her mind wasn’t sure, but her body seemed to be screaming for what he was suggesting.

            “I…I suppose,” was all she could say before his lips softly touched hers. He pressed harder and for longer as he continued giving her kisses, trailing across her jaw and down her neck. A moan escaped her lips before she could stop herself.

            He continued trailing wet kisses down her chest, touching whatever skin his jacket didn’t cover on her body. The ache in her groin only grew, and she groaned in protest.

            “Still aching?” he whispered against her skin.

            “Y…Yes,” she stammered. This wasn’t like her. She wasn’t thinking clearly. She wasn’t sure that she wanted someone that looked like Syaoran acting this way with her. Still, she wanted relief for the ache, the want, growing in her body.

            “Show me where,” he said, “Tell me.”

            There was a desire in his eyes and a roughness in his voice that made something in her stomach tighten. Nervously but slowly, she started pulling up the skirt of her dress more.

            “S-still…in between my legs,” she mumbled, her cheeks turning redder by the minute.

            “May I touch you there?”

            Sakura looked surprised. She didn’t expect him to ask. He seemed to be giving her an option to either say yes or no. While part of her seemed distressed of her weapon partner touching her _there_ , she was aware that this was just a dream. Maybe, she ought to throw caution to the wind, and just say…

            “Yes…” she whispered. The young man’s eyes flickered, and he ran his hands up her thighs and under her skirt. She felt his fingertips on what little skin the stockings didn’t cover as he massaged the skin gently. He took his right hand and tugged at the edge of her panties.

            In a silent agreement, she nodded before he undid the clips on the stockings and slipped her panties off of her. The toes of her stockings seemed to liquefy, melting off onto the floor and leaving grey beads of liquid on the black and white tile. She felt the cold tile floor on the tips of her toes and shivered.

            Then, his right hand was cupping her sex, and she gasped. He massaged it under her dress and she could feel the ache disappearing, replaced now with warmth and pleasure. She tried keeping her breath even and not make so much noise, for she noticed a strange echo in the room they were in.

            He spread her lips open and found a particularly sensitive part and she mewled.

            “Does that feel good?” he asked.

            “Y-Yes…that’s…AH!”

            Before she could finish, his finger started massaging her clit, and she couldn’t stop moaning even if she tried. She rested her head back on the chair, the leather crinkling with every thrust of her hips against his hand. He kept his movements consistent, but soon she started bucking more against his hand, feeling somewhat dissatisfied.

            “M…More,” she whined, “Mo…Move faster.”

            Finally understanding, he applied more pressure with his finger and moved it faster, increasing this every few seconds. Her back arched into his touch, and she felt close to the edge. When she thought she was done, she let out a long groan, and he moved his finger away, deciding to just caress her sex gently.

            “Are you satisfied?” he asked warmly.

            Sakura came off of her high, realizing that something felt off. She didn’t feel satisfied for some reason, and she pouted.

            “Is that a no?” he asked, and she sighed.

            “I just…I dunno why,” she groaned, “I just…mmmm…”

            He was stroking the wetness near the opening of her lower lips, and she hummed in appreciation.

            “You’re very wet, Princess,” he moaned, “Much like last time…”

            She realized he was talking about her previous dream. Her stomach felt like it was doing backflips. He started prodding at her entrance.

            “May I touch you inside here?” he asked, his only inches away from hers.

            “ _Please_ ,” she breathed out, and he slid a finger inside her. Her neck relaxed, and her head fell on the chair. She hummed in pleasure as he slid the finger in and out. She contracted her inner walls and thrust her hips in time with his hand, her gloved hands gripping the armrests of the chair.

            He curled and stirred his finger around inside her, and her moans became louder.

            “Another?” he asked, and it took her a moment to realize he was asking if he could add another finger.

            “Mmm-hmm,” she smiled, biting her lip. He obliged, his middle and pointer fingers now in her soaking sex. She let out soft breaths and hums of appreciation as he pulled them out slowly and pushed them back in.

            Then he curled both fingers, stroking the top part of her inner walls, and she jumped. He stopped.

            “You don’t like that?” he enquired, looking concerned.

            “No…I mean…that…do that again,” she breathed out. He curled his fingers again. Oh God, that felt…really amazing.

            “I’m not hurting you, am I?”

            Sakura quickly shook her head, and this Syaoran seemed to sigh a little in relief. He got closer to her face, his fingers still inside her, and their eyes met.

            “Good,” he whispered, “I only want to please you, Princess.”

            And he curled his fingers in her again. Her breath caught in her throat before she let out a moan that was louder than before.

            He picked up the pace, and her moans grew louder and higher in pitch, almost like she was screaming. She covered her mouth to try and stop herself, or at least stifle the noise. However, that only made her more aware of the wet sounds of this young man’s fingers thrusting into her, and that made her moans even louder.

            Sakura gripped onto his shoulders, burying her blushing face into the crook of his neck. He sighed at the feeling of her warm cheeks against his skin.

            With a slight tilt of her hips, she could feel him thrusting furiously against the part of her inner walls that he was stroking before. Her voice went up several octaves before she squeezed her eyes shut.

            “So…close,” she whimpered.

            “You’re going to cum?” he cooed. He moved her head and let their foreheads touch. He stared into her eyes, and she tried to look away, embarrassed about her flushed face and the lewd noises escaping her lips. She felt his lips barely graze hers as he whispered.

            “ _Cum for me…Princess…_ ”

            More like a small plea rather than a command, it somehow sent her over the edge. Her muscles tensed, her mouth forming into a large ‘O’, and the sound of her orgasm caught in her throat. It released from her mouth in a long cry, followed by long moans of satisfaction. And then…

            “ _Syaoran…_ ” she moaned, and then she blinked. When she realized what she just said, she covered her mouth like she made a mistake. He pulled the two fingers out, a clear, shiny, white substance caking his fingers. He stared at it, thinking of what to do with it. Sakura then started feeling sleepy, the world around her beginning to blur.

            Her thoughts were racing.

            _Wait! Are you really Syaoran? Your wavelength the same, but it’s not. Who are you? Why do you look like him? Why am I dreaming of him doing these sorts of things to me? Who are you?_

            She awoke in her own bed feeling somewhat dissatisfied. Her body had felt those things, but she knew they weren’t real. It only left her sexually frustrated and confused, and she screamed in anger into her pillow.

* * *

            It was odd that she’d have a dream like that. She was pretty sure she didn’t like Syaoran in that way. Maybe it was simply her brain playing tricks on her. Maybe it was from the frustration she felt trying to find him while she was awake. Maybe going into his room would give her a clue where he might be. His door was cracked open.

            He found him.

            She rarely ever walked in on him, and vice versa. She’d seen him in a bathing suit before, so this wouldn’t be the first time she’d seen him half-naked. Still, she silently stared at him, eyeing him up and down. He was lean, but he had very toned muscles. He had his back to her before turning around to see she was staring.

            He immediately grabbed the shirt in his hands covered his chest, his face flushed.

            “AGH! Oh God, wha-” he stuttered out. Sakura snapped out of her trance and blushed a little.

            “OH GOD, I’m sorry!” she yelped, “I didn’t know you were in he…”

            She immediately changed tone, from embarrassment to anger.

            “Heeeyyyy, where have you been?!” she cried, “You’ve been gone for nearly a WEEK!”

            When she stormed up to him saying this, she smacked his shoulder. He cringed back a little, seeing how upset she was.

            “I…uh…I had to deal with some things,” he answered back.

            “Well, you could’ve told me!” she pouted, “I was worried, man!”

            “I’m sorry…” he frowned.

            There was a pause.

            “You’re right,” he sighed, “I should’ve told you where I was. I went outside the city to think. I needed some time alone, and I talked with Dr. Stein a bit, and that seemed to help. I…I’m sorry I didn’t tell you.”

            She wanted to stay mad and pout some more, but he looked so sincere. She sighed and decided to just be firm about it.

            “Alright, I’ll forgive you for now,” she huffed, “Just be sure to tell me where you go next time you leave like this again…or whatever. Don’t want…you know…Clow Reed getting to you or anything.”

            “I will,” he assured her. She relaxed a little and threw her arms around his neck for a hug. He hugged her back in a warm embrace, the kind of hug you’d give someone you really treasured. They stayed like that for a while. Syaoran had already abandoned the grip on his shirt, and Sakura just felt his warmth and the smooth skin of his half-naked body under her fingertips. She somehow didn’t want to let go, and she got the idea that he didn’t want to either, but he did.

            When it hit her again that he was clad in his boxer, and not much else, she pushed away from him and nervously giggled.

            “Eheh…I’ll just…leave you the change,” she mumbled, and she exited, slamming the bedroom door behind her.

            He was just a friend. She loved Yukito. No one else. She was sure of it.


	36. Surrender

AN: Syaoran, where the heck were you? Let’s figure that out. Also, where did the plot go? I gotta find that too.

* * *

            He just sat in the small chair with his face in his hands, as she laid on the bed, back arched and lips pouted.

            “Come ooonnnn,” she whined, “Play with meeeee….”

            “No,” Syaoran told her firmly, “I know what you’re doing.”

            The dark version of Sakura sat up and crossed her arms. She raised an eyebrow.

            “Why, whatever do you mean?” he sneered, “I’m just giving you what you want.”

            “I DON’T WANT THIS!” he cried, “This is…this is wrong. I feel like…I’m taking advantage of her.”

            “Aaww, but I’m willing, and it’s not taking advantage if both participants are _willing_.”

            “But you’re not her! You can’t be…”

            She walked over to him and placed her hand flat against his chest. He felt it. Sakura’s soul wavelength. The dirty-minded doppelganger smiled.            

            “Funny, isn’t it?”

            “But why…why her? Can’t you just be somebody else?”

            “Sorry, sweetheart. Can’t. You two are connected by the same blood, so to speak. Like…not related just…here.”           

            She took his tie in her hands, and it started to liquefy. She left some residue on her hand and held it up to his nose. When he sniffed it, he flinched in disgust.

            “It smells metallic…like…”

            “Like blood?” she hinted.

            Syaoran blinked.

            “That stuff that attacked you…from that Clow Reed guy?” she added, “That’s what all of this is.”

            She spun on her high heels and gestured to the dark red and black bedroom around them.

            “This is the madness that lays dormant in your soul,” she grinned, “And when the time comes, we’ll consume everything around us. It’s already started with some of your classmates! And they’re not even infected with the black blood like you and your meister.”

            “Sakura?” he panicked, “She…her blood is…”

            “It’s the same,” the doppelganger cooed, “Our blood is black. As long as you two are linked, as long as both of you are infected, I’ll never disappear.”

* * *

            When he wasn’t dreaming of the black room, Syaoran seemed to get distracted by Sakura’s regular appearance. He always did his best not to stare at girls. Staring was rude, as his mother taught him.

            And yet, he found her skirt so hypnotizing. Her legs. Her nice, lean legs. She never really showed her cleavage, but he seemed to stare at her breasts like they didn’t really exist before now.

            He never kept his gaze on her long, not enough for her to notice. And when he wasn’t staring, he was trying hard NOT to think about what he just stared at. Don’t think about her legs. Don’t think about her being in those sheer, black stocking from that stupid dream. No, her boobs are not that big. Don’t think about how nice they’d look in that bra from that stupid dream. That dream is stupid. You’re stupid. It’s just hormones. It’ll fade. Soon, you’ll be staring at some other girl the same way.

            He didn’t really want to stare at her like that, or any girl for that matter. It just felt disrespectful. They weren’t objects to stare at. He knew that.

            He decided that staring at other things was the best course of action. However that worked out poorly. He stared at her hands. He thought how soft they must feel. He sometimes felt them when he was a weapon, but it wasn’t the same really. Skin feels different against metal. He wondered if it felt the same if he held her hand.

            He didn’t try. He instead focused on her hair. Was it as soft as it looked? How did she get that little piece of hair to stand up? She always woke up with her hair like that, and he never really saw anything like hairspray or gel in their bathroom. It was always so shiny and vibrant, like a mix of gold and copper when the sunlight hit it.

            Okay, no, focus on her lips. … Okay, no, bad idea. Don’t think about kissing those lips or what those lips might do to you. Such pink, pouty lips. Oh Death, she’s biting her lip. That’s cute. Why is that cute? No, stop. Stare at something else.

            Her nose? That small, pixie-like nose. Too cute. No, try her ears. Okay, you can only see the tips of her ears. Good. Umm…oh. Oh no, don’t you dare think about nibbling her ear. Stop that.

            Her eyes. He snapped out of his mental episode when her emerald green eyes met his dark, rusty brown ones. He stared at her whole face now. She was so cute and pretty. He felt his face heat up. She furrowed her brow.

            “What is it?” she asked, “Is there something on my face or…?”

            “Ah…no, no, I just…I was just…spacing out,” he admitted. Sakura giggled.

            “Well, that’s not like you at all,” he smirked, “Something on your mind?”

            “Well…I…uh…”

            “You sleeping okay?”

            “Mmmgghh…”

            She patted him on the back.

            “Be sure to get plenty of rest, okay?”

            “Ah…yeah.”

            She turned back to what she was doing, and he just stared at a spot on the desk.

* * *

            “Are  _you_ doing this to me?”

            Demon Sakura looked up in surprise as she pulled up her pantyhose stocking.

            “Doing what?”

            “You’re the reason I’m having these weird feelings for Sakura, aren’t you?” he demanded.

            “Ooo, you’re kind of cute when you’re angry,” Sakura cooed. She sat down in the chair she had in front of her and spread her legs.

            “Come here,” she beckoned.

            Syaoran’s nostrils flared.

            “Stop it,” he gritted through his teeth, “Stop wearing her body like a fucking coat and acting like this.”

            The doppelganger froze, and then she started giggling.

            “Oh! I get it,” she guffawed, “You don’t want a version of her to feed your imagination. You want _her_ here, right? Oh, hun. Honey, honey, honey, that’s dangerous.”

            “That’s not what I’m saying,” he hissed, “Don’t change the subject here. Is the same thing happening to her?”

            She raised an eyebrow.

            “Is she seeing a version of me that’s…doing things to her?”

            The doppelganger smiled wickedly.

            “Maybe?” she chided, “But you’re the one feeling that love for her. I can’t make you feel anything. I’m just…unlocking the subconscious.”

            Syaoran’s face fell; the fists he made with his hands went limp. He fell to his knees, trying to take it all in.

            “Are these dreams affecting her? Like…what I feel…can’t she feel that?”

            The doppelganger of Sakura walked over to him, kneeling next to him and holding his head to her chest.

            “Only a little,” she cooed, “She and you have similar dreams, all linked to the black blood. How you feel will resonate with her, and she will feed an appropriate resonance back to you. It will tamper with your regular resonance though.”

            “What? How?”

            “You love her, sweetie, but she may not like you back. That’s easy to solve in regular circumstances, right? But in these conditions…it could damage your resonance. That could be bad.”

            He was confused.

            “If you keep bottling up these feelings for her, it could hurt not only you, but her too.”

            “I don’t ‘have feelings’ for her.”

            “No?”

            “No.”

            “Alright then, let me take you out this dream for a moment and into a nightmare.”

            The room around them disappeared, and Syaoran swam alone in darkness. Everything seemed to ache. He felt something wet dripping from his mouth. He touched the side of his mouth to see if it was drool.

            It was blood. Not black blood, but the real thing. It was as red as a ruby. He looked at his hands. They were caked in blood. He looked down.

            Sakura laid unconscious, her eyes closed, but one of them, her left eye, was leaking blood. He froze, hesitant to reach for her and see if she was okay. Glass shards lay about them. He stared at his reflection in one large piece.

            His right eye was green.

            Sakura awoke her eyes wide open, staring manically at him, and he jumped. Her left eye socket was empty. And then, she started cackling.

            “ **DEAD! DEAD! GUESS WHOSE DEAD! YOU JUST COULDN’T CONTROL YOURSELF, COULD YOU? YOU JUST HELD IT ALL IN, AND IT EXPLODED LIKE A VOLCANO! BOOM! HEHEHEHEHEHEHEHEHEHEHEHEHEHE!** ”

            He woke up with a yelp. He was sweating bullets. After a moment of collecting himself, he got out of bed and put on a pair of pants with a new shirt. He grabbed a bag full of his things and his apartment key. He needed some time alone.

* * *

            He figured he would just vanish from her world, if he left. She could go back to being partners with Tomoyo. It’d be better that way. They’d be good together. Tomoyo had better control over her feelings than he ever could. He walked down the streets of Death City, trying to clear his head. Maybe he’d finally get his mind off of  _her_ , if he just got away from her for a while.

            He bumped into someone a bit taller than him. After apologizing, he realized that he’d bumped into Dr. Stein.

            “Oh, hello there Li,” he addressed, smiling a little, “Playing hooky?”

            It was a school day. Somehow, Syaoran forgot about that.

            “I just needed to clear my head,” he sighed. The two of them stared at each other.  Stein seemed to be carrying grocery bags. His cell phone rang.

            “Hold on,” he told the young weapon, and he pulled out his phone.

            “Hello, Marie…Yes, I got them. I actually ran into a student….Listen, I might be a while. He and I are going to have a talk….Thanks. Alright. Love you too. Goodbye.”

            He hung up.

            “You look troubled, Li,” Stein pointed out. Syaoran rubbed the back of his head.

            “Come here. Let’s talk.”

            “You’re not gonna punish me for skipping class today are you?”

            “It happens. I can tell something’s bothering you, and I assume it has to do with the Black Blood.”

            “You…you know about that?”

            “There’s a strange madness wave spreading across the city. The teachers and I are getting lesson plans together, and Mr. and Mrs. Albarn-Evans are going to be teaching the class, supposedly. And then, there’s the matter of you and Ms. Kinomoto with the Black Blood. Maka and Soul will be working with you two personally on that one.”

            “How come we didn’t know about this before?”

            “Because we’re still coming to certain conclusions and don’t have full answers on why this is happening. We don’t know if it’s something Clow Reed conjured, or if this is the Moon.”

            “The Moon?”

            “Yes, on some nights, you’ll see a big, black bubble around the moon in the sky. You know, the one that smiles that big grin?”

            Syaoran nodded.           

            “The battle with Kishin Asura occurred there, and his madness was sealed away with a substance called BREW by a young, androgynous child named Crona. He was a good friend to Ms. Albarn. But since then, madness echoes from that black bubble in waves, and it’s usually very small. However, this occurrence is somewhat different and a bit more hostile. Since the Battle on the Moon, we haven’t really found a way to return there and figure out what’s going on.”

            “So…this black blood is something that’s existed before?”

            “It was an artificial substance created by a witch and used to help spread the madness of Kishin Asura much quicker. It dissipated a long time ago, so the fact that it’s come back is rather strange.”

            “How do you get rid of it?”           

            “You don’t.”

            Syaoran’s heart sank.

            “Is it doing something to you or your meister?”

            “I’m not sure about Sakura per say, but I’ve been having weird dreams where…I guess the black blood’s kind of personified itself. She keeps…taunting me, saying I’m…in love with Sakura.”

            “Are you?”

            “I…I don’t think so. I thought what I was feeling was generated by this black blood stuff.”

            “The black blood only amplifies things that already exist, requiring sanity in exchange. It can’t create or destroy anything within a person. So if you’re dreams involve Ms. Kinomoto and yourself in romantic situations of some sort, it’s most likely an exaggerated reflection of what you’re really feeling. Dreams are a world where the mind and vent and restore itself.”

            “So…what should I do?”

            “I suggest figuring out what you’re feeling. Whatever this version is asking of you, bargain with it. If you can create a symbiotic relationship with it, you and your meister may be able to control it in some fashion. Given that your meister has an anti-demon wavelength, it shouldn’t be too difficult.”

            “I dunno…”

            Stein put a reassuring hand on his shoulder.

            “You’ll be alright.”

            He wanted to believe him, but a small twinge of doubt still lingered, even after they said their goodbyes.

* * *

            Sakura hung up her cell after the fifth failed call and fell sideways on the sofa where she sat. He hadn’t come home in three days. She was anxious. Dr. Stein gave her a message earlier that her weapon partner was doing some sort of personal meditation.

            She couldn’t help feeling this was her fault. The gnawing static at the back of her mind confirmed that, despite whatever the truth may be. She didn’t like…not knowing. Everything felt so disconnected, and she felt herself slip into sleep.

            The reality of the room around her meshed with her dream of the Black Blood Room, this place that this other Syaoran would visit her. The images flashed back and forth, like sunlight hitting murky water.

            Soon, more images came. This time, the dark room faded. She saw darkness and cherry blossom petal. The traveler, Li, stood waiting for her.

            “Are you…really here?” she asked.

            “In your dream now, yes,” he answered back, “It’s nice to meet with you again.”

            “Where is the princess?”

            A cherry blossom tree appeared, with the princess laying at the base of the trunk, sleeping.

            “I need to tell you something important,” Li told her, “It concerns Ms. Sakura’s wish, as you call her.”

            Sakura nodded.

            “Her wish has given you, young Sakura, the gift of free will. You have the ability to choose your own destiny. Young Tomoyo has also been given this opportunity, given Ms. Sakura’s intentions. However, many of your other comrades do not have the same luxury. While you have the change to be happy with many different people, your friends, Syaoran and Meiling Li, do not.”

            At this, Sakura seemed confused.

            “I believe Ms. Sakura told you of Tomoyo’s chance to find someone to love and not be bound by fate to love and stay with that person until death…”

            While seeming unsure, Sakura nodded her head timidly.

            “You have the same sort of destiny, from what the princess has told me,” he continued, “You’re destined for whoever you choose to love the most. Ms. Sakura said that she and her lover, Syaoran Li, were destined for each other, and it only ended poorly for her. So…she wanted a version of herself to have…a choice.”

            “What about everyone else?” Sakura asked, “Aside from Tomoyo and I…doesn’t everyone in this universe have…”

            Li shook his head sadly and looked over at Princess Sakura.

            “We’re telling you these things because…certain paths you choose may lead you to…painful results…”

* * *

            He just wanted to meditate right outside the city. Still, he couldn’t escape her image. Princess Sakura stood before him in his visions, a mere ghost under a cherry tree.

            “You look so much like him…” she sighed, smiling.

            “You’re…that princess…” he managed to say.

            “I’ve come to give you a message, Syaoran Li,” she told him, after taking a breath and gaining a serious composure.

            Syaoran mere stared and listened.

            “Because of Ms. Sakura’s wish, your meister is free from the chains of fate in who she loves or doesn’t love. Tomoyo Daidouji of this universe shares a similar situation. However, many of our reincarnations do _not_ have this luxury.”

            Syaoran furrowed his brow, trying to understand.

            “I understand that you may be feeling confusion over your feelings at the moment. I can…sense it, even if our connection is not strong. You are following a similar path to the first Syaoran Li, the one bound to Ms. Sakura.”

            She told him of the first Syaoran, how he grew romantic attachments to Ms. Sakura after having romantic attraction to that world’s Yukito. He ultimately chose to follow his feelings for Ms. Sakura.

            “Is the reason I’ve liked Tsukishiro…in this world…because I liked him in a previous world?” Syaoran finally asked, to which Princess Sakura nodded sadly.

            “The feelings are still genuine, but you were fated to fall for Yukito and Sakura of this world. Of the two, you are only fated with one of them.”

            “Who is…Yukito…er…Tsukishiro fated with?”

            There was a pause.

            “His name is Touya Kinomoto.”

            “So…the person I’m fated with…”

            “…Is Sakura.”

            Part of him felt relief, but his heart still felt like it was sinking.

            “Even if she chooses someone else, you are fated to be by her side, no matter the circumstances. It can’t be changed.”

            All he had wanted was to clear his head, hoping his feelings for Sakura would just disappear.

            “I’m dreaming…right?” he asked.

            Princess Sakura stayed silent.

            “Huh…even if it were a dream, you probably wouldn’t tell me, would you?”

            She shook her head.

            “I am merely a messenger for the moment,” she lamented, “And one last thing. Be careful about trying to get stronger. Clow Reed may try to use that against you. That’s all Ms. Sakura said about that.”

* * *

            “So…he’s destined to be my weapon partner?” Sakura repeated to herself.

            Li nodded.

            “He will also gain more power,” he told her, “Clow Reed will try to use this against you both, so…be careful.”

            “Okay,” Sakura nodded, “I will.”

            Princess Sakura awoke from her slumber under her cherry blossom tree.

            “Did you talk to him?” Li turned to her to ask.

            “I did,” she answered, “He was very sad.”

            Sakura looked at them, confused.

            “It’s nothing with being your weapon partner,” the princess assured her, “It’s more about whom he loves. He’ll tell you when he’s ready. I promise.”

            “We need to go now,” Li told her, “Goodbye, young Sakura.”

            The wind blew, cherry blossom petals clouding her vision, and Sakura woke up on the couch.

* * *

            She only started getting mad when he was still gone for about a week. He had snuck back into his room. She walked in on him changing. He apologized to her.

            _“You’re right,” he sighed, “I should’ve told you where I was. I went outside the city to think. I needed some time alone, and I talked with Dr. Stein a bit, and that seemed to help. I…I’m sorry I didn’t tell you.”_

_…_

_“Alright, I’ll forgive you for now,” she huffed, “Just be sure to tell me where you go next time you leave like this again…or whatever. Don’t want…you know…Clow Reed getting to you or anything.”*_

            It was only after that when the two started hanging out with each other. Like fate deemed it, he didn’t leave her side. Surprisingly, she didn’t leave his either.

* * *

            She showed up again, same bedroom, same sexy attire. He didn’t try fighting these dreams anymore. It made him depressed, but not nearly as much as when he tried holding it back.

            “You’re much less resistant, sweetheart,” she sneered, “What happened?”

            He didn’t respond. He merely got up from his usual chair and walked towards her. When they were close enough to each other, he grabbed her hands, lacing his fingers with hers. The demon walking around in Sakura’s body seemed confused.

            “I’m not going to fall into this…madness of yours completely, but…I do know this,” he began, “I can’t stop these dreams of mine, and I guess…I don’t really want to. When I focus enough, I can…I can feel her soul wavelength. That’s…better than any sensation this black blood could give me.”

            She raised an eyebrow.

            “What do you want to do now, Syaoran?”

            He blushed, but he touched his forehead to hers.

            “I…kinda…I want to kiss you.”

            “Then do it.”

            It didn’t take long for him to feel soft lips against his own. He let go of her hands and pulled her close. All he could think was…

            “ _I love you._ ”

            He kept repeating that in his head while trying to focus on Sakura’s soul wavelength. It was as if he was praying for her to feel the same, while she slept in the room next door. Would she dream the same thing as him? Could she ever really love her back? He wasn’t sure. While his feelings were seemingly set in stone, the future remained cloudy.

            While didn’t realize it, he was slowly slipping into this madness called love faster than he could ever anticipate. The black blood began to pulse through his veins. Both meister and weapon would soon wake up in their separate beds, perspiring as if they never slept at all.


	37. Talk

AN: It’s been a while since I’ve written a chapter for this lovely piece of work. Let’s see what I can do. I’m not leaving an unfinished story on the Web here. Don’t you worry.

***** \-- > see chapter titled “Together”

* * *

            Extra classes started a week after the madness started affecting the students. This was when Stein started teaching again, which he hadn’t done in a while, along with assistance from Maka and Soul. The three teachers began giving several exercises for the pairs Stein diagnosed in advance. Syaoran and Sakura were among the weapon/meister pairs.

            Some pairs seemed disinterested or didn’t really believe what their instructors were saying. Others seemed more interested, concerned for themselves. Two boys, a meister and weapon pair, were the first to ask questions.

            “So…this madness thing…affects who we wanna bang?” the young meister asked.

            Everyone giggled, while Syaoran and Sakura tried not to.

            “Yes, in a sense,” Maka sighed, as her husband tried not to snicker. Stein merely smiled, while Maka continued.

            “The madness seems to amplify sexual and/or romantic attraction between meisters and weapons. While relationships between the two aren’t really frowned upon here at the DWMA, it’s important that it not get in the way of your studies or the battles against kishin.”

            “Well…I mean…what if you were a dude and your partner was also…” the young meister from before asked.

            Maka finally understood. Both boys were facing away from each other, faces flushed red. She walked over to them.

            “As far as we understand, boys, the madness doesn’t affect sexual orientation, so that might be something you two need to reevaluate yourselves.”

            They sank into their seats as the students started oo-ing and giggling around them.

            “Alright, people, that’s enough,” Maka instructed, “If there are no more questions, let’s begin our exercises. Be sure to practice these outside of your regular classes as well.”

            Most of it seemed to be sitting and breathing. Breathing and sitting. Each teacher took turns giving the students prompts for them to visualize in their minds. It was sort of like meditating. Syaoran seemed to have no trouble with this, while Sakura was a bit more fidgety. They sat across from each other, holding hands, and she somehow couldn’t stay still.

            “Sakura…try to calm down a bit,” her partner complained.

            “I’m trying, I’m trying,” she got out in a fit of giggles.

            “You need to empty your mind,” Stein suggested, “Block out all outside distractions.”

            Sakura closed her eyes again and did as told. It didn’t take long before she fell asleep sitting up. The others didn’t realize it until she fell onto her side.

* * *

            “I just remembered something,” Sakura hollered out. Li, the desert traveler she met with before, turned his head to see her.

            “Young Sakura, why are you here right now?” he asked, concerned.

            “Must’ve fallen asleep while doing this meditation thingy, but I remembered something I wanted to ask you!”

            Li sighed but listened.

            “You know who the others in my world are fated to be with, right?” she asked.

            “Well…not all of them…just a few,” Li answered, “Although, it’s not important to really know. You have…”

            “…the ability to choose my fate yeah yeah yeah. I know _that_. But I want to know about one of my…friends.”

            Li seemed to guess who she was referring to by the flush in her cheeks.

            “You remember Yukito, right?”

            He tried to look away and not show any guilt on his face. While Ms. Sakura never specified, he already guessed Yukito’s special person was probably Touya, this young Sakura’s older brother.

            “Do you know who he’s destined to be with?” she asked, looking hopeful.

            He was silent for a moment.

            “I…can’t tell you,” he admitted.

            “What?! Why not?”

            “I fear that…it might…hurt you, if I told you.”

            Sakura was perplexed, and then Li seemed more reserved when he spoke again.

            “Talk to him,” he instructed, “You probably haven’t seen him in a while. Your feelings may differ from how they were before.”

            “Well…not too much,” she admitted, “I still love Yukito.”

            “Even though it’s because…”

            “…of the past and fate? Or because people with power are drawn to each other? It doesn’t make me love him any less.”

            “You’re sure about that?”

            “Why are you so concerned about this? If you’re trying to protect me, don’t.”

            Before Li could say more, he stopped.

            “Why are you so worried about me loving Yukito? Is that really so bad?”

            “No, it isn’t. I just…want you to be careful.”

            There was a pause, giving both of them time to breathe.

            “If you really want to know who he cares for, you should probably talk to him yourself,” he told her, “What I know about him is not for me to tell.”

            “Is it the same reason you have for not telling me who Syaoran’s special person’s supposed to be?”

            Li nodded, and Sakura let out a groan in defeat.

            “Fine,” she said, “Guess, I’d better wake up from this weird meditation nap. Talk to you later I guess.”

            As they faded away from each other’s sight, Li remained in the dark void behind him. Princess Sakura came to his side and rested a hand on his shoulder.

            “You did the right thing,” she assured him.

            “She can’t be ignorant of these sort of things forever,” he sighed.

* * *

            Sakura woke up moving, and surprisingly not in a bed of some sort. Soon, she realized she was being carried bridal style down the apartment hallway.

            “Ah, you’re finally awake,” Syaoran sighed in relief.

            “Oh hey,” she mumbled, “Sorry ‘bout that. Not used to the meditating thing. Bet the teachers weren’t happy.”

            “No, but we _did_ get out early, so I guess that’s a plus.”

            “I’m sorry.”

            “S’okay. We’ll try again later.”

            “You can put me down.”

            “Oh, sorry, you not comfortable with this?”

            “Oh nah, it’s not that. It’s just, we’re already near the apartment, and you probably carried my heavy butt all the way here.”

            “No big deal, and you’re _not_ heavy.”

            “No?”

            “No, you’re fairly light, actually. Lighter than Meiling. And that’s saying something, because I think you two are the same size…er height rather.”

            “No kidding.”

            “Don’t tell her I said that though.”

            “Promise.”

            “Any weird dreams?”           

            “Just the usual black void with the usual us from different dimensions. Li told me I should talk to Yukito.”

            “Really? What for?”

            “He seemed worried about it, but he said if I wanted to know how Yukito felt about me, I should talk to him.”

            Syaoran grimaced a little, but not enough for his meister to notice. They stopped in front of the apartment, and he let her legs down so she could stand.

            “Hope you don’t mind,” she went on, “I mean, I know you kinda like him too, don’t you?”

            “Not anymore,” he admitted, much to Sakura’s surprise.

            “After thinking about it a lot, I realized how I felt wasn’t really what I thought it was. I…actually like someone else.”

            “Someone else?!” she beamed, “Really? Who is it?”

            Syaoran was silent, his face turning red.

            “Oh come _on_ , you can tell me. Please?”

            She seemed so excited, but it didn’t seem like the right time to tell her something like, _yeah, Sakura, I have the total hots for you and I have dreams of you being kinky and trying to have sex with me._ No, probably not a good place to start. He shook his head. He tried not to smile when she half-faked a groan of frustration. She seemed too excited to be very angry about it.

            “Ugh, fine,” she pouted, “I bet I can guess. Is it…a boy?”

            Syaoran shook his head, smiling a little.

            “OoooOOOO, it’s a girl?”

            He nodded.

            “Sweet! Is she pretty?”

            Syaoran blushed again, as she wiggled her eyebrows and nudged him with her elbow. He finally found the apartment key and put it in the door. Then, he looked at her. Really looked at her. She had stopped nudging at him and was looking at him for an honest answer. Her auburn hair was a mess and her green eyes were still as vibrant as ever.

            “Well, is she pretty?” she repeated.

            “She’s…” he sighed admittedly, “She’s beautiful.”

            Sakura nearly squealed in joy. Her weapon flinched in surprise. After shutting the door, they began setting down their stuff and heading to the couch.

            “Well, aren’t you a sweetheart?” she snickered, “Is…her name…Tomoyo?”

            Syaoran raised an eyebrow.

            “What? No.”

            “Just checking.”

            “You didn’t _really_ think I’d crush on her, did you?”

            “Not really. Told you. I was just checking.”

            “Why? Would you be jealous if I was?”

            Surprisingly, Sakura didn’t say no. She just giggled and her cheeks were rosy.

            “I think someone’s got a crush on To-Mo-Yo,” he began to tease.

            “DO not,” Sakura retorted.

            “Do too. You talk about her enough as it is.”

            “She’s my best friend! Of _course_ I’d talk about her a lot.”

            “Fair enough. Have you thought about it though?”

            Sakura paused.

            “Well, I…suppose…if I had to spend the rest of my life with her, I’d be very happy, but I haven’t thought about her in like a romantic way. I guess I never really considered it. I guess right now, if it were to happen, I wouldn’t be to opposed to it.”

            “Sounds like what I’ve heard you say about the subject before.”

            “Really? When?”

            “Last Christmas…”

            “Oh yeah…in the stairway…the sock story…” *****

            They burst into laughter at the thought of _that_ story again **.** After their giggles had ceased, Sakura rested her head on Syaoran’s shoulder. While it was becoming a common occurrence between them, Syaoran still found it strange.

            “You don’t change much, do you?” he asked.

            “You mean with how I feel about Tomoyo?” she said, “I suppose so.”

            “Besides that…you seem like the same person you were when we were younger.”

            Sakura grew strangely quiet before she spoke again.

            “You…think so?”

            “Well…I mean, not in a bad way. You’re…um…you’re definitely taller than before and…um…you know how to swordfight and…well…but you’re still…really cheerful an-and kind…I guess that’s all I meant…”

            He was too flustered over this to notice Sakura worming her arm around his. By the time he calmed down, she was lacing her fingers with his. He wasn’t sure what to make of it. She was certainly more touchy-feely with him these days, but he didn’t know if this was typical of her with friends or if it was something else. His mind raced so much that he couldn’t really ask…or say anything.

            “You’re a good guy, Syaoran,” she said, “Thank you.”

            “Uh…sure. No problem.”

            His mind seemed to quiet down and he relaxed, resting his on top of hers.

            “You gonna still talk to Tsukishiro?” he asked.

            “Yeah,” she said, “Later…probably tomorrow.”

            “Okay…”

            “I wanted to add something.”

            “Hmm?”

            “I think…that whoever this _beautiful_ girl is, she’s very lucky. I hope she likes you as much as you like her.”

            “Yeah…me too…”

* * *

            “MY HAIR!!!”

            Meiling ran from the bathroom to living room, where Tomoyo sat reading a textbook for class.

            “Your ha- Oh my!” Tomoyo gasped as she turned to her meister.

            One half of Meiling’s hair was in her traditional hairstyle, but the other was still down, held in her left hand. Tomoyo saw two streaks of auburn on either side of her head.

            “I JUST DYED MY HAIR AN HOUR AGO AND BLOW DRIED IT, AND THE STREAKS ARE STILL THERE!” Meiling whined.

            “My goodness, do you usually…”

            “I’VE _NEVER_ HAD TO DYE MY HAIR! STREAKS JUST STARTED APPEARING!!!!”

            Tomoyo got up and set her book on the coffee table before going up to Meiling to take a closer look. Sure enough, the streaks in Meiling’s hair were light auburn to the root.

            “I NOTICED IT A FEW DAYS AGO,” Meiling started.

            “Okay, okay, it’s alright,” Tomoyo interrupted as she brought Meiling over to the couch, “Calm down.”

            “Okay,” Meiling continued, “I noticed it a few days ago. Just a few strands showed up, so I plucked them. Hurt like hell. But they showed up the next day. Then, when I saw I had more, I got hair dye and figured I’d take care of it next weekend. I figured it was sun discoloration or something, but…”

            “No, this is very odd,” Tomoyo said, “Maybe we should see if it’s something to do with magic. We can talk to Sakura or even Ms. Yuuko, okay?”

            Meiling nodded, eyes somewhat teary.

            “I’m sure it’s nothing to cry about,” Tomoyo smiled, and she placed Meiling’s head on her shoulder. For a moment they resonated, and Tomoyo swore for a split second, part of Meiling’s soul felt like Sakura’s.

            Eriol Hiragizawa, the young man from England, hid in a tree outside their window.

            “It’s beginning,” he whispered to himself calmly before disappearing into the foliage.

* * *

            Maka saw it out of the corner of her eye. It looked like Sakura’s soul, but when she saw who it was, it turned out to be Meiling.

            A grigori soul with an anti-demon wavelength. There was _no_ way that two students could have these similar abilities and similar wavelengths. Sakura and Meiling only seemed to see each other occasionally, from what she noticed. She wasn’t sure. Angel seemed to have her preoccupied. The infant started tugging on her hair. She immediately reacted, pulling it back in a ponytail.

            Then, the phone rang.

            “Maka Albarn-Evans speaking,” she responded into the receiver.

            “This is Yuuko Ichihara, Head of Witch’s Training and Magic,” spoke a smooth voice, in the brightest of moods.

            “Oh, hi, Ms. Yuuko. You updated the witch’s grades and test results for this quarter?”

            “Indeed. How are the grades for your meister students coming?”

            “Almost done. Angel’s been a bit of a distraction, but I’ve only got a quarter left to go.”

            “Wonderful! Because I have a bit of a question for you.”

            Maka waited.

            “Do you have a student named Eriol Hiragizawa?”

            “It…doesn’t sound like a name I know. Let me just check for a moment.”

            She frowned. Maka flipped through her grade books. After a few minutes, she returned to the phone.

            “I don’t have a student with that name in my records. Why do you ask?”

            “Sakura Kinomoto has mentioned that name to me. He is nowhere in my records either. I’ve been calling teachers all day, asking about him. Sakura said he’s a student here, but no one seems to know who he is.”

            “Do _you_ know who he is?”

            “…As a matter of fact, I do.”

            “Yo, Mrs. Angel, I’m here for the bundle of swaddling clothes,” Soul shouted, his daughter’s diaper bag on his shoulder.

            “Christ, Soul!” his wife shouted, “You scared the shii…you scared me, ya big butt. I’m on the phone.”

            “Ah, who is it?” he asked.

            “Yuuko. It’s something important.”

            “Put her on speaker, then. I wanna hear too.”

            She looked around the office. Seeing that no one else was around, pressed the speaker button on the office phone.

            “You’re on speaker, Ms. Yuuko. Soul’s here.”

            “Sup,” the death scythe hollered, as he took Angel and placed her in her carrier.

            “Hello,” Yuuko’s voice echoed on the phone’s speaker.

            “So…who’s this Eriol?” Maka asked.

            “When Ms. Sakura was alive, Eriol was the reincarnation of Clow Reed. If my guesses are correct, it could be Clow hiding as one of the students. It’s odd that he never added himself to the school’s database at all. It would certainly make him harder to find.”

            “Yet Sakura couldn’t sense that it was Clow?”

            “I suppose he could be using that ability that you call Soul Protect, which someone like me could use.”

            “He must be mocking us, somehow. Like, he can be right in front of us, but we can’t catch him. Have you seen him?”

            “I haven’t. He knows I’ll recognize him on sight, so he’s showing himself to a person who’s capable of stopping him, but doesn’t recognize him. We’ll have to inform Sakura and the others when we run into them.”

            “Should we give them a house visit or a phone call?”

            “It’s best that they find out when the information is ready to present itself.”

            “But we can’t just wait for them to find out! We know now, and we should inform Sakura and her friends before whatever Clow is planning works in his favor.”

            “As good as that sounds, there are only so many things that I can share with Sakura. I am bound by fate, and I cannot tell her certain things until an appointed time. Even though she’s growing in ability faster than I imagined, there are still things I can’t share.”

            “Then, we’ll have to do that for you. Just because you’re bound by fate on certain things doesn’t mean we are. Soul and I will pay them a visit this weekend.”

            There was a pause. Though they couldn’t see it, Yuuko smiled gently on the other line, a sad look in her eyes.

            “Very well,” Yuuko said, “Do as you wish.”

            Before Maka or Soul could respond, Yuuko hung up.

            “She’s certainly an odd one,” Soul sighed, shaking his head. Maka grimaced before getting back to work.


	38. Party

AN: Some characters from nothing in particular made in order to develop characters for filler? Sure! Why not. Merry belated Christmas! You can find Starla’s sweater at Spencer’s.

* * *

            Considering everything that happened, Tomoyo and company came to one of Starla’s parties. It wasn’t on the Friday they were first invited to, but they came nonetheless. It was, what Tomoyo told them, an ugly Christmas sweater party. They all wore one.

            Meiling’s sweater was red with a Santa on it and a red nose that lit up and played music when you pressed it. Tomoyo wore an ivory one with a similar red, blinking nose light, but it was a reindeer instead along with a pattern of colorful, Christmas lights.

            Syaoran’s was more subdued, an emerald green sweater with a decorated Christmas tree on the front, Old English font spelling out “O Tannenbaum!” not excluded. Sakura’s was pink with a happy, snowman in a top hat and scarf, surrounded by glittery snowflakes.

            “You didn’t have to wear a button-up shirt under that sweater,” she told her weapon.

            “Well, I wanted to look nice,” he shrugged, “It’s a party.”

            “I told you all you didn’t have to look nice,” Tomoyo butted in.

            “Still, it was getting cold,” he added.

            “Yeah, odd for this time of year in Death City,” Sakura muttered.

            “Hey, you guys!” a loud voice called to them.

            Starla walked up in her black leggings and green sweater that read “HAPPY HOLLA DAZE” adorned with snowflake and Christmas light patterns around the letters and two beer bottles, one on either side of the word “DAZE.” The whole sweater seemed to also have a cheesy print of a beach all over it on material that would probably be used for kid’s sweaters in the clothing department at Wal-Mart. Her blonde hair was up in a messy bun, and her lips were bright red. She was beautiful, even if the choice in clothing was odd.

            “You’re Tomoyo, right?” she asked, pointing straight at the girl in question. Tomoyo nodded.

            “Oh, good to see you!” Starla chirped, hugging the now shy Tomoyo, “These your friends?”

            “Ah, yes!” Tomoyo finally spoke, “This is my weapon partner, Meiling. This is my friend, Sakura, and her weapon, Syaoran.”

            “Right on!” Starla responded, “Good to see ya! Good to see ya.”

            She hugged each and every one of them too quickly before they could react.

            “So, everyone’s just kinda hanging out and talking,” Starla told them, “Snacks are over there. We got punch and other drinks over there. There’s no booze in it, _but ifyouwannalittlejustlemmeknow.I’lldigaroundinthecabinets_. Right now, I’m playing some dirty ‘Truth or Dare’ over here in the living room, if you wanna join. Otherwise, you’re free to do whatever! Toodles!”

            As the young blonde walked away, all four of them stood there, frozen, and not sure where to even begin.

            “I think I’m gonna go get snacks,” Tomoyo finally said as she ran over to the counter in the kitchen.

            “I guess…I’m going to join them in ‘Truth or Dare’,” Tomoyo said hesitantly.

            “But she said ‘Dirty Truth or Dare’,” Sakura responded, “What does that mean?”           

            “Guess there’s one way to find out!” Meiling shrugged, and the three of them walked to the living room.

            Once Starla gave them the cheery welcome again, they joined the circle. Sakura and Meiling sat next to other, but Syaoran…

            “Hey, cutie!” a girl called over to him, “Come sit by me!”

            Syaoran seemed hesitant. Without words, he looked to Sakura for permission, despite not needing any. She nodded that it was fine, and he went over to sit by the brunette that called out to him. She had a pixie haircut and a royal blue sweater with angels on it.

            “Okay Trix, it’s your turn, babe,” Starla addressed the brunette next to Syaoran.

            “ _Babe_?” Meiling whispered to herself.

            “Alright,” said Trix, “Hit me.” She addressed the girl on her right. Sakura recognized her. It was Chiharu, and her weapon partner, Takashi Yamazaki, was next to her, holding her hand.

            “Okay,” Chiharu began, “Truth or dare?”

            “Dare,” Trix answered.

            “I dare you to…do the cinnamon challenge!” Chiharu responded.

            “Not near kinky enough, but it’ll work,” Starla chuckled. She got up and got a spoonful of cinnamon ready, giving it to Trix.

            “We got a camara?” Starla asked around. People either looked blank or shook their heads.

            “Whatever, we don’t need it,” Chiharu assured.

            Trix put the spoonful into her mouth, and people started to time her. She had to cover her mouth so she wouldn’t spit out the cinnamon. At thirty seconds, she had already swallowed half of it, but tears were running down her face. Some cheered her on. Others, including the three new players, watched expectantly.

            Trix managed to swallow it all in 58 seconds, once Starla checked her timer on her bedazzled smart phone. The two high-fived each other before sitting back down. Tomoyo came by and sat in a chair behind Sakura and Meiling, a cup full of pretzels and another one with punch in it. She handed a cup of punch to Meiling and one to Sakura.

            “Hey, how’s the game going?” she asked.

            “Well, a girl named Trix swallowed a spoonful of cinnamon,” Meiling answered.           

            “Oh my.”

            “Starla also called the girl ‘babe,’” Sakura added in a whisper.

            “Oh… are they dating?”

            “Maybe they’re just meister and weapon,” Sakura assured her, “It can’t hurt to ask her later.”

            “I suppose,” Tomoyo shrugged.

            “Don’t give yet,” Meiling cheered, giving her weapon a side hug. Tomoyo smiled, her spirits cheering up a little, and she took a sip of her punch.

            “Ugh, I’m losing my buzz,” Starla whined out loud, “Trix, you lead the game. I’m gonna pour another one for myself. Anyone else want a buzz to their punch?”

            Only a few people raised their hands.

            “Great,” she sighed, “Be right back.”

            “What’s your name, cutie?” Trix asked coyly, turned to Syaoran. He blushed a little and soon introduced himself.

            “Syaoran, huh?” Trix nodded, “Alright, Syaoran, truth or dare.”

            “Um…truth,” he answered. It seemed safe.

            “Go easy on the kid, Trix,” someone called out, “I don’t think the poor thing’s swiped his V-card yet.”

            Almost everyone snickered. Chiharu shook her head and elbowed Yamazaki as he chuckled, getting him to stop. Sakura sat confused.

            “Don’t make fun of my cousin, asshole!” Meiling shouted blindly across the room. Tomoyo grabbed her and settled her meister down. Everyone else murmured a little louder than before.

            “Everyone shut it! Let’s see…” Trix began, trying to think of a good question to ask.

            Syaoran waited. He didn’t really know how bad of a question it could be. That was until she spoke.

            “Is there any girl in this circle that you’d eat out?”

            Syaoran choked, turning beet red. Tomoyo and Meiling spat out their punch, which sprinkled a little on Sakura and a few other people that complained.

            “That’s what you call ‘going easy?’” Chiharu cried.

            “WHAT?” the brunette snapped, “It’s not like I asked him who’d he have gay se-”

            “OKAY, that’s enough,” Meiling interrupted, “Syaoran, you don’t have to answer that question. It’s fi-”

            Before she finished, everyone in the circle seemed to here Syaoran mumble something as he stared at his twiddling thumbs.

            “Pardon, hun, couldn’t here you,” Trix said.

            After a long pause, he looked up at the whole circle. When he saw an intrigued Sakura, he looked down again, his entire body ablaze. He begrudgingly gave his answer to the question, as he sweat profusely in his button up and ugly sweater.

            “yyyyyyeeeessssss…” he said, and everyone heard it this time. Several teasing “oooooo’s” followed. Sakura only looked confused.

            “I don’t understand,” she turned to Tomoyo, “What does that mean? Is it some new slang for a date or…”

            “No…no, Sakura-chan…” Tomoyo struggled, shaking her head. She then whispered what it was in Sakura’s ear. As soon as she grasped what Trix was talking about, Sakura turned as red as Syaoran was.

            “Oooo, really?” Trix said to Syaoran, “And who might _that_ be?”

            “Trix, come on,” Starla laughed as she walked back into the room with a bottle of Captain Morgan, “What did you ask the poor kid?”

            “I just want to know if it’s me or not,” Trix teased.

            “No,” Syaoran answered, a little more assertively.

            “Hmm?”

            “No, it isn’t you.”

            Trix sighed, but didn’t seem too disappointed.

            Sakura took that to mind and looked around her. One of the girls in the circle might be the girl he loves. There were quite a few of them. Some quiet and some giggling.

            “You can go another turn,” he said to Trix, “I’m leaving the game and getting some punch.”

            “I’ll go with you!” Tomoyo chimed in, “I need to refill my cup.”

            As Syaoran walked away, morbidly embarrassed, Tomoyo patted his shoulder comfortingly. As Trix asked truth or dare to the next person, Sakura and Meiling snuck out of the game. Once the circle went around again, Chiharu and Yamazaki soon left as well.

* * *

            Syaoran found the water and started chugging a full plastic cup of it. It was cold, and drinking it all too quickly seemed to give him brain freeze. Tomoyo stood by him before throwing away her cup. She went towards the pretzels.

            “Well, Sakura now knows another term for oral sex,” Tomoyo tried laughing it off. Syaoran only hid his head in his arms against the kitchen sink.

            “I’m going to die,” he mumbled.

            “Oh hush, no you aren’t. Let’s talk about something else. Have you told her?”

            “Huh? Told who what?”

            “Have you told Sakura you’re in love with her?”

            Before he could ask how she knew that, she held out her hand to silence him.

            “Call it instinct. I’ve noticed. You look at her differently than you do with me or your other companions. And before you answered that question, you looked over at Sakura.”

            Syaoran let himself collapse and sit on the floor. Tomoyo knelt down next to him.

            “You didn’t _have_ to answer that question, you know. Or were you hoping she would notice?”

            “Did she?”

            “She didn’t.”

            “Good,” he sighed in relief, “I don’t know why I went along with it.”

            “Do you think it might have to do with the black blood Dr. Stein talked about?”

            “I don’t know.”

            “Well, just so you know, Sakura can be very…naïve. It’s not a bad thing, but it can be distracting for her. And she has been busying herself as of late. I’m sure you’ve noticed?”

            “Yeah.”

            “Then, if you want her to know how you feel, tell her. She won’t know unless you say something.”

            “B-But…she’s in love with someone else.”

            “Well, that never stopped me, when I was in your place.”

            Syaoran looked up at Tomoyo.

            “You’re encouraging me to tell her? Don’t you love her too?”

            “Of course, I do! Just not the same way as I used to. I don’t think you’re bad for her. I wouldn’t tell you to confess if I thought so. And I don’t think that loving Sakura in any way is a bad thing. Not anymore.”

            “I just…I don’t want to hurt her.”

            “Do you want to hurt her?”

            “No! Of course not!”

            “Then, you won’t. I know you won’t. Now, I know you’re just making silly excuses not to tell her.”

            She pinched his cheek teasingly. He swatted her away, but he was smiling.

            “When the time is right, you’ll tell her, and she will give you her answer when she’s ready. I’m sure you’ll be just fine.”

            They smiled at each other before Sakura and Meiling joined them in the kitchen.

            “I really like what you’ve done with the streaks in your hair, Meili- …. Oh, hey guys!” Sakura said.

            “Hello,” Tomoyo smiled, “We were just talking.”

            “Yeah, we were thinking of getting out of here,” Meiling groaned, “Starla’s started chugging a whole bottle of rum, and everyone’s yelling. It’s giving me a headache.”

            “Alright, we can go!”

            “What about Starla?” Sakura asked.

            “I have a feeling she’s not for me,” Tomoyo sighed.

            “How do you figure?”

            “Intuition. I’ll get the coats. Will you help me, Meiling?”

            She nodded, and she went out of the kitchen with Tomoyo. As Syaoran got off the floor, Sakura stared at him, her mind replaying the moment he answered that question. Her face heated up, knowing what that meant. They walked up to each other, awkwardly.

            “Heeyyy…” Sakura started.

            “Sooo…that happened,” was all Syaoran could add.

            “Did you even know what she was asking?” she asked.

            “I did,” he said.

            “What? Really?!”

            “I read a lot, and…it’s something that…I read about…maybe once or twice.”

            “You’ve _read_ about giving oral sex to girls?”

            He didn’t answer.

            “Gosh, I feel dumb for not even knowing what that meant.”

            “You’re not dumb.”

            “But I _feel_ dumb.”

            “Don’t feel dumb. No reason to. You didn’t know. Some people don’t.”

            “Gottanother question though.”

            “What’s that?”

            “When you said yes to that question, were you talking about the girl you’re in love with?”

            It took a moment for Syaoran to gather a somewhat less flushed composure before he gave her a yes.

            “So the girl you like _was_ in that circle. Hmmm…interesting…”

            “Are you becoming a detective now, princess?”

            “Prin…Princess?”

            He had intended to just be funny. However, Sakura’s cheeks were rosy. _Oh God, did it sound like flirting? Please, don’t misread this._ Syaoran’s mind raced as his face flushed for the umpteenth time.

            “I…shit…sorry,” was all he said.

            “No, no…um…it reminded me of Li and Princess Sakura is all. And… well… nevermind. Um…I don’t mind you calling me that.”

            “You don’t?”

            Sakura shook her head, her cheeks not as red as before.

            “What made you want to call me _that_?”

            “I dunno…I just the other versions of you that I know of are all princesses, and Ms. Sakura is a witch of sorts. Guess…it just…came out.”

            “I see. Well, maybe it can be just a fun thing between us. I dunno.”

            Soon, it went dark, and there was something heavy on both of their heads. Meiling had thrown their coats on top of them.

            “Come on, let’s get out of here,” she beckoned, and all four of them were out the door, their ugly sweaters covered as a cold chill filled the once dry, warm desert air.

            “You okay, Tomoyo?” Meiling asked, and Tomoyo nodded.

            “I’m glad you’re handling this really well, Tomoyo,” Sakura said, “Aren’t you sad?”

            “Oh, I am, but I figured…if my destiny is letting me choose that special someone for me, I know I’ll find someone else, and I’ll be that much closer to finding that special person.”

            This seemed to resonate with Sakura, and something in her soul told her to remember that. They walked together to enjoy the rest of their Christmas holiday off.

* * *

            That night, Yukito hung up the phone and set it on the nightstand. Touya lay next to him, only half-asleep.

            “Touya?” he poked his partner’s arm.

            “Mm?” Touya stirred, opening an eye.

            “I wanted to let you know that Sakura wants to talk to me tomorrow. She said she wanted to talk with me alone, so…you think it’s possible for you to…”

            “Avoid your convo all together? Sure. Gotta go grocery shopping tomorrow. Just set a time tomorrow, and I’ll be outta here for an hour or two.”

            “Okay, good. What do you need to get at the grocery store? The usual stuff?”

            “Try…everything. The stuffed toy keeps eating all our shit. Didn’t your true form tell me you and he don’t need to eat?”

            “Well, I do, but yeah…Kero doesn’t. He just likes the act of eating.”

            “Please tell me you can get him out of his place tomorrow.”

            “I can try. I’ll be sure to talk to Sakura-chan about it.”

            “Cool. Let’s go sleep.”

            Yukito chuckled.

            “Good idea,” he sighed, “Goodnight.”


	39. Heartbreak

AN: Time to get this ball rolling a little more. It happened in CardCaptor Sakura, so I guess it was inevitable.

* * *

            “SAKURA!” a small, cheerful voice called, as she entered her brother’s apartment.

            Kero stayed over at Touya and Yukito’s place these days. Sakura called earlier, saying she wanted to talk to Yukito privately. When Touya decided to go out for groceries, it was easy for her to drop by.

            “Hey, Kero-chan!” Sakura spoke warmly, as the small creature flew around her.

            Despite being happy to see them again, the conversations she had with Li still rung in her head. He questioned on how she felt about Yukito _twice_. The first was when he was still technically alive and the latest in her dreams. She loved Yukito. That would never change. It hadn’t changed since third grade.

            “Hello, Sakura-chan!” Yukito called from the kitchen.

            “H-Hi!” she said, cheeks rosy.

            “Yuki’s makin’ us pasta with sauce,” Kero said, shrugging, “Third time we’ve had actually, so it’s kinda boring.”

            “Because you’ve eaten nearly everything in the house,” Yukito scolded, “Beside, you love all kinds of food, so you have no reason to complain.”

            “CorRECTion, I love _sweets_. Other foods are okay, but it’s the sweets that are the best.”

            As Yukito sighed, Sakura began to scold and tease the small creature. Soon, Kero turned into his true form of the mane-less, winged lion. Sakura then proceeded to scratch and pet his golden fur. He didn’t change back until Yukito announced that dinner was ready.

            As Kero slurped as much pasta as he could in his now much smaller mouth, Sakura twirled the angel hair noodles as she looked for something to say.

            “So…I wanted to talk to you…” she started.

            “Oh, good,” Yukito sighed, “I wanted to talk to you too!”

            “You did?”

            “Yes! You see, Touya and I think Kero should move back in with you. As much as I enjoy your company, Cerberus, Touya finds your overconsumption of food…stressful. I already eat so much food as it is. It would be easier if Sakura went back to taking care of you.”

            Soon, Kero realized the conversation had turned over to him and swallowed his food.

            “Sorry, huh?” Kero replied, “I wasn’t listening.”

            “You’re moving back in with me, Kero-chan.”

            “Really? Huh…alright then! Long as I don’t have to deal with that brat, I think I’ll be good.”

            “He’s not a brat, Kero. Be nice.”

            Kero made what sounded like a raspberry noise and continued eating.

            “Is that all you wanted to say, Yukito?” Sakura asked.

            “I believe so…Oh! One more thing.”

            Sakura looked hopeful.

            “Yue told Touya to tell me that we should practice in our weapon forms with you. We haven’t gotten much of a chance yet. We can start around…Christmas break?”

            “Oh…” Sakura sighed, somewhat disappointed, “Yeah, totally!”

            She took a bite of pasta. It was still warm, and it tasted as nice as she expected it to.

            “Now, what did you want to talk about?” Yukito asked.

            “I…”Sakura began, “I…wanted to talk to you about…something…that I can’t tell you while Kero-chan’s in the room.”

            Kero looked up again.

            “Kero?” Sakura pleaded, “Can you maybe take that to your room or…something?”

            Kero merely shrugged, picking up his bowl and fork while flying off. Once he was gone, Sakura set down her fork. Her hand clasped together in her lap, her face heating up.

            “Are you alright, Sakura-chan?” Yukito said, looking concerned.

            “I’m fine,” she replied, “This is just something…I’ve been meaning to tell you for a while.”

            Yukito put down his fork and listened.

            “Since…since third grade, I’ve always had these certain feelings about you. And…I know…I’m just sixteen right now…but maybe…in a year or two…we could go out for maybe…a…a nice dinner…or…like…

            “…I just…I’m…

            “I love you…Yukito.”

            While he looked surprised, he didn’t seem put off by what she said. She kept going.

            “I’ve…always…I’ve always love…loved you…since I first met you, and I figured if I waited until I was older, I’d…have a better chance. But…things have come up, and something inside me, no…a friend…told me it’d be best if I told you now.”

            There was a dreadful silence before Yukito answered her.

            “Why, thank you, Sakura. I love you too. But…I don’t think I’m the one you love most.”

            Sakura’s heart sank like a stone.

            “Oh dear…that’s not what I meant to say. What I meant to say was that I think we love each other in different ways.”

            “I…I don’t understand,” was all Sakura could muster.           

            “Sakura…I love you the same way Touya loves you: as a sister. You’re a very sweet girl, and I’m so glad we’ve become good friends. As flattered as I am that you care so much about me…I’m afraid I can’t return your affection.

            “You see…I’m in love with someone else.”

            Sakura realized he must be talking about the one he’s fated to love.

            “Who?” she asked.

            “Well…strangely, it’s actually your brother. We’ve actually been together for quite a while now. It happened this past April, actually, before those traveler friends of yours arrived.”

            Sakura flashed back to things Li said to her before.

_“I fear that…it might…hurt you, if I told you.”_

_“If you really want to know who he cares for, you should probably talk to him yourself. … What I know about him is not for me to tell.”_

            Yukito continued.

            “You seemed busy with everything going on, and you were falling asleep a lot, so I suppose I never told you. Touya never really talks about it much in public unless someone asks. I hoped it would be obvious.

            “Yet again…I guess I never really noticed your feelings, Sakura-chan. I had a hunch that you might, but I suppose I didn’t pay much attention. I’m sorry that I never noticed.”

            Only silence followed.

            “Is there…a chance?” Sakura finally asked.

            “A chance?”

            “A chance that…maybe…one day…you would…”

            At this, Yukito seemed to understand.

            “Is there a chance that I may love you back one day? Is that what you’re asking?”

            She nodded.

            “I don’t know, Sakura. It has nothing to do with your age. I just think…right now, I don’t really have an attraction to girls…women…that sort of thing. I think Touya likes both guys and girls, from what he’s told me, but I’ve never really felt attracted to girls as he has sometimes. I’ve always seemed to like _him_.”

            Sakura stayed silent.

            “I don’t know if I ever will like girls in that way. All I know is that I love your brother with every ounce of my being…what little there is…of this temporary form. Yue is rather indifferent about it.”

            “I see,” Sakura said.

            “I’m so sorry, Sakura-chan. I’m sure you’ll meet someone who’ll love you more than anyone, and I hope you’ll love them just as much.”

            The entire time, Sakura listened, but all she felt was empty. All of the sentences pouring from his mouth crashed like a storm on her. She was no longer hungry, but she took one less bite of pasta.

            “I can box that for you,” Yukito suggested.

            “That’s okay,” she assured, “You don’t have to. You’re low on food anyhow.”

            “I insist. You went to all this trouble to get here only for me to put a damper on things. It’s the least I could do.”

            He took a Tupperware bin and poured the angel hair inside, sealing it shut. Then, he opened his arms for a hug.

            Without thinking, she ran into his arms and embraced him. It was warm and safe, like…like hugging her brother or someone in her family. It wasn’t like hugging Tomoyo or Syaoran. There was a faint resonance with him, but the bond with him wasn’t as strong as she hoped it would be. She let herself feel the warmth of his arms to make up for the emptiness she felt.

            “It was nice to see you again,” Yukito told her earnestly, “Take good care of yourself.”

            “Thank you,” she said.

            Kero flew up to her, and they left soon after. She smiled as she waved goodbye. It was the first time she ever really faked a smile.

* * *

            Kero already made a nest in Sakura’s dresser drawer before Syaoran ever saw him. Sakura curled up on the couch for a while, the events of the past hour or so running through her head like a broken videotape.

            He loved her brother, and not her. She loved Yukito. No one else. She was sure the latter was true and the former was a lie. She loved Yukito. They were meant to be, or so she thought.

            That’s right. She wasn’t destined for anyone. She was free to choose who she wanted to be with. And yet, the one she wanted didn’t want her back.

            It was painful.

            Everyone was tied by fate. She wasn’t. It was supposed to be a good thing.

            It only made Sakura feel lonely.

            She fell asleep on the couch, the emptiness expanding only to be filled by something darker. It was black.

* * *

            It happened after he handed Angel back to Maka and Soul. Walking by the DWMA building itself, Syaoran felt a bit uneasy. Something in his gut was telling him something was wrong. Before he could react, he was kneeling on the ground.

            A sharp pain struck Syaoran’s right eye.

            “Are you alright?” a voice called out.

            It was the guy from England Sakura talked to weeks ago, Eriol. He was in a dress shirt and blazer with slacks.

           “Is your eye bothering you?” he asked, “I might be able to help with that. You’re Ms. Kinomoto’s weapon partner, correct?”

           When Eriol bent down to help him, Syaoran brushed him away.

           “I’ll be fine,” he grumbled, “And so what if I am her partner?”

           “Now, now, I was only asking,” Eriol sighed, “I thought you looked familiar. How is she, by the way?”

           Syaoran merely glared with his left eye, while his hand covered his other eye.

           “I assume this has happened before, this eye problem?”

           “Only a little…not this bad. Why do you care?”

           “Well, I hear there is a spread of black blood going around. Maybe, that’s what’s causing it. Let me see.”

           Reluctantly, he let this strange person inspect his eye. From what Eriol saw, black veins were starting to show, with pools of red slowly turning black. His mouth seemed to curl into a smile. Syaoran didn’t notice.

           “So…how is your meister?” he asked, “I’m not trying to be nosey. I just know that typically, if one person in the pair is infected, it affects the other person they’re resonating with.”

           “We’re both infected,” Syaoran answered, “She has a Grigori soul and an anti-demon wavelength…so she can fend it off better than I can.”

           “Impressive. Still doesn’t mean it won’t have any effect. Tell me…have you been dreaming about anything strange?”

           Syaoran froze.

           “If that’s the case, your meister might be having the same dreams. It’s something that occurs when resonating, especially with someone as close to you as your meister. I’m sure you care about her very deeply. Here.”

           He seemed to mouth something Syaoran couldn’t hear, Eriol placed his now glowing hand on his right eye. Syaoran felt a cooling sensation on the once searing eye.

           “It’s a spell of mine that might help you. And it might help her too.”

           “What do you mean?”

           “She has the gift of choosing her own destiny doesn’t she? If she kept having those dreams about you, surely that would affect her destiny, wouldn’t it?”

           Syaoran froze.

           “Didn’t you want to be a meister when you first arrived here? I might be able to help you with that, Syaoran Li.”

* * *

            “Young Sakura? Young Sakura?”

            It wasn’t just one voice. It was many. All of them were from the Spirits of Clow. The ones that were released from their cards already appeared as souls, their golden spherical forms now a bright blue.  The ones Sakura hadn’t released yet appeared in their usual forms. She opened her eyes to see herself sinking in a sea of black blood.

            “What…what’s going on?” Sakura asked.

            “You’re falling into despair,” one blue soul spoke, “Our first master is growing in power. You must find your weapon, young Sakura.”

            “You mean Syaoran?”

            “He may be in trouble, young master.”

            “Oh gosh…oh…but I’m so sleepy.”

            “ _It is the darkness growing in your heart, young Sakura,_ ” a familiar voice advised. LIGHT and DARK appeared before her, still trapped as Spirits of Clow.

            “ _Your soul is special, young Sakura,_ ” LIGHT told her, “ _Do you not have what they call an Anti-Demon Wavelength?_ ”

            “Well, I do, but…”

            “ _As much as you love Yukito, young Sakura, you cannot allow this despair to hinder you from what must be done,_ ” DARK interrupted, “ _The dark is meant to show how bright a light can glow, not cloud it away. This madness you’re drowning in won’t help you or make you feel better._ ”

            “ _What do you do when you’re sad, young Sakura?_ ” LIGHT asked, kneeling by Sakura’s sinking body.

            She thought for a moment. Usually, she’d seek advice from her friends or her teachers. While there were moments where she could think for herself, it was always nice to have the comfort of others by her side.

            “I’d talk to my friends,” Sakura answered.

            “ _That’s right,_ ” DARK encouraged, “ _Now, go…find your companion._ ”

            A glimmer of light shone from Sakura’s chest. Her soul, a bright blue bead in the darkness, filled the darkness around her, and she began to climb out of the black blood. Despite the pain in her heart when thinking of Yukito, she remembered everyone else she knew, the lessons she learned, and her own unique abilities. Every aspect of her soul, her personality, history, people she met, fueled her with strength. Soon the black blood manifested into her black dress and gloves that she usually wore in her dreams, especially the ones about that other Syaoran.

            A light appeared before her. She waved to the souls behind her, and she ran towards the light. She opened her eyes and sat up instantly. Something in her gut was telling her something was wrong.

* * *

            She ran towards the school and found Syaoran by the town’s garden, the same place they fought the ILLUSION years ago. He was asleep by the bridge.

            “Syaoran!” she shouted.

            He woke with a start and relaxed at the sight of his meister.

            “Are you alright?” she asked.

            “I think so,” he said, “I ran into Hiragizawa in front of the school. I dunno how I got here.”

            “You mean Eriol? Oh gosh, I wonder where he went.”

            “Beats me. He helped heal my eye though.”

            “What was wrong with your eye?”

            “It was hurting earlier. I think it’s the black blood. I don’t know why.”

            “I see…we should talk with Dr. Stein about that maybe. Although, first…do you mind if we sit here and talk?”

            “Huh? Um…sure.”

            They moved over to a tree and sat against the trunk. There wasn’t much foliage, due to the season, but it was one of the few trees that still seemed to have leaves on it. Syaoran started.

            “So…did you talk with Yukito today?”

            “I did. I…confessed, but…it turns out he’s been in a relationship with whole time.”

            “Oh…”

            “…with my brother.”

            “OH. Wow…I…didn’t see that coming.”

            “Heh…yeah, me neither.”

            “I’m sorry, Sakura.”

            “It’s alright. I think…Tomoyo told me once that if the person she loves is happy, then she’s happy too. I want to believe I can feel that way about Yukito, but…it still hurts. Like, I know I have this destiny where I can make my own destiny while everyone else doesn’t…I just thought that…if I still liked him…loved him enough, he’d eventually love me back. As if my choices or desires could change the fate of someone else.”

            As Syaoran looked at her, listening, he noticed tears forming in her eyes.

            “I guess I know there are things I can’t change, even if I want them to change. And I know I’ll eventually accept that…it still hurts.”

            Syaoran got up and fished through his pocket. When Sakura looked up to see what he was doing, he held out a handkerchief.

            “I understand,” he said, “I…know what you mean.”

            His eyes were gentle, but also sad, and Sakura understood immediately that he really did understand how she felt. She got up and accepted the handkerchief. However, instead of using it, she sobbed on his shoulder instead.


	40. Fireworks

AN: I am typing this in a cold, moving vehicle. Not exactly the most inspiring place. Here’s to the New Year. Welcome to 2015! The plot thickens.

EDIT: This is being posted in March. I know it’s not New Years anymore. Just…humor me, I suppose.

* * *

            A silver shield decorated in lapis lazuli stone patterns was strapped to one arm. A golden spear adorned with rose gold and orange ornaments was held in the opposite hand. Despite much difficulty over the holiday break, Sakura managed to resonate perfectly with both Cerberus and Yue. She was soon capturing kishin souls with both of them in battle. She soon caught ten kishin in a row before the year ended.

            Oddly, Syaoran ended up resting during that time, with Stein performing several tests and not finding anything wrong. Despite his complaints about his right eye and his dreams becoming much more violent, the black blood was strangely dormant.

            During one of Sakura’s practice sessions with Maka Albarn-Evans, the truth about Eriol Hiragizawa was revealed.

            “He doesn't go here?” Sakura asked, dumfounded.

            “Afraid not,” Maka shook her head, “Clow is messing with us.”

            “I didn’t think he’d be powerful enough to turn himself into a student. What’s weird is that Syaoran said he ran into Eriol about a week or two ago.”

            “He must be planning to use Syaoran for something. Use Yue and Kero when you go kishin hunting for now until we figure it out. Stein still can’t figure out what’s wrong with him. Even I’m baffled.”

            “Do you really think I should just stop having Syaoran as my weapon partner?”

            “Well, he can still stay with you, if that’s what you’re worried about, but resonating with him during battle might be risky, if we can’t figure out what we’re dealing with.”

            To her surprise, Sakura looked sad. Cerberus and Yue turned back into their true forms, and Cerberus became nuzzling her hand.

            “You okay?” Maka asked.

            “It feels like it’s happening again,” Sakura answered, “Something Clow does always separates me from my weapon partner. I just…don’t want to lose what we have.”

            Yue put an assuring hand on her shoulder.

            “If you stay by his side, I’m sure he will get better,” he told her.

            Once Sakura took a deep breath, she smiled up at him, thanking him for saying something so nice. While he brushed it off as not being a huge issue, Yue felt peace at being able to do something for his new master. 

* * *

            New Year’s Eve was rather uneventful. Everyone was at a party or two in Death City. Syaoran merely sat on the couch. He didn’t want another moment like the Christmas sweater party. He didn’t remain alone for long as Sakura burst through the door of their apartment, in a poufy, black and pink dress. She pulled her long black gloves back up her arms as she caught her breath.

            “Back already?” Syaoran commented.

            “Hey!” she chirped, “Come on! Put on your coat! I want to show you some stuff!”

            “Now? It’s almost midnight.”

            “Yeah! Death City’s gonna blast their fireworks, but I wanna show you some stuff! Hurry hurry!”

            He obeyed and grabbed his coat. He was concerned that she wasn’t wearing a coat, but she didn't seem to care. She grabbed his hand, and they raced out the door. Oddly, they went up the emergency stairs. Sakura’s hand was bizarrely warm, like he was holding an electric blanket.

            He didn’t start asking questions until they reached the roof of the apartment building.  In her Mary Jane two-inch heels, she stood on the edge. Syaoran was too scared to join her and started to pull on her arm so that she’d come down.

            “What are you doing?”

            “Showing you some stuff I learned,” she retorted,  “You’ll see! Step up here.”

            Despite his growing terror, he did what she asked.

            “Now, close your eyes.”

            He did so as she grabbed his other hand. He soon felt like his body was being suctioned and stretched through a tube before the sensation ceased and the surface under his feet felt a little smoother.

            “Okay, you can open them!”

            He regretted doing so, for it seemed they were now on one of the three black spheres above the DWMA. He shouted and grabbed onto Sakura as tightly as he could without really hurting her. She only laughed.

            “WHAT THE HELL?!” he cried.

            “Ha ha! It’s fine,” she assured, “We’re perfectly safe up here! These things look small, but they’re actually pretty massive and sturdy. Try sitting down!”

            Slowly but surely, Syaoran sat upon a small area and crossed his legs. He took a deep breath and relaxed a little.

            “Now, we have the best seat in the house!” his meister cheered, and she summoned her Star Wand along with making the Book of Clow appear before her. She flipped through pages as it floated, and she turned to the pages where she had made notes. It read:

            “FIERY+SHOT+GLOW”

            She seemed to be summoning three streams of power around her as they twisted around each other like snakes. She pointed her wand to the sky and the stream flew upwards, whistling like a rocket into the air. It flashed before exploding into a large burst of color and fire. Soon, Sakura next to her partner, and the bursts she created continued to pop, just like real fireworks. However, the dots of color that following afterwards turned into glowing balls of light that fluttered down like glowing snowflakes.

            Syaoran was in awe, staring at the lights around him, as Sakura edged closer to him, smiling up at her work. He looked over at her. She seemed very pleased. Despite the cold air, sitting next to her was like sitting by a cozy fireplace wrapped in a blanket.

            “It’s midnight,” she said, and she turned her head to him.

            “Happy New Year!” she smiled.

            He didn’t know what to say. He just looked at her in awe. After a moment of awkward silence, she rubbed the back of her head.

            “I couldn’t stand the idea of you starting this year being cramped in the apartment, and…I know we haven’t hung out too much lately after my sob session over Yukito, so…”

            He sighed and smiled before resting his head on her shoulder.

            “Thank you,” he replied, “This is nice. I presume the reason you’re so warm right now is another spell of yours.”

            “Yeah…” she giggled, embarrassed, “I ran out of the party in the DWMA ballroom before grabbing my coat, so I just whipped this up on the fly.”

            “Pretty soon, you won’t really need me anymore, right?”

            She didn’t say anything.

            “I’m sorry I haven’t been helpful these past couple of days,” he continued, “What’s it been since you talked with Yukito?”

            “Two weeks,” she said.

            “Huh…longer than I thought. I’m just deadweight, aren’t I?”

            “That is NOT true. Don’t go spoiling the mood, man!”

            “Sorry. Guess, I’ve felt low these days.”

            “Iiiissss the fireworks show helping?”

            “Mmm…a little.”

            “Only a liiiittle?”

            They teased each other as the glowing sparks snowed around them. Soon, Syaoran was smiling and laughing, and Sakura relaxed a little. She was surprised to notice that her chest felt tight seeing him like this. She distracted herself as she messed with his already messy hair.

            “Thank Death you’re cheering up a little,” she snickered. She expected him swat her hand out of his hair. He didn’t. Her hand slowed and just started running her fingers through his hair.

            “You like this?” she asked.

            He hummed out a yes.

            “I see,” she sighed, “Has Meiling or someone close to you done stuff like this?”

            He hummed out a no.

            She stopped, surprised by his answer. Soon, her hand ran down to his cheek instinctually, and she just pressed the palm of her warm hand against his face. He pressed it closer to his cheek and leaned into it, sighing in content. Truthfully, Sakura couldn’t explain to herself what she was doing or why.

            Then she heard his voice in her head, like a whisper. His mouth wasn’t moving.

            “ _Only you can do this to me._ ”

            Her stomach did a flip and her face turned bright red. The voice in her head…it almost sounded like what she would hear in the Black Blood Room. She wasn’t sure if that was actually him or if it was her mind playing tricks on her. She quickly took her hand away, and Syaoran seemed surprised as well as disappointed.

            “You okay?” he asked.

            “Oh y-yeah!” she stammered, “Sorry! Oh, look! I think the spell’s wearing off. Shoot…we should probably get down from here. It’s past midnight already.”

            She grabbed his hands and they quickly teleported back onto the roof of their apartment.

* * *

            The routine continued, with Kero coming with Sakura to train, and Syaoran had more free time. Hearing that Eriol was actually Clow Reed, he figured staying at the apartment and reading copious amounts of books would distract him. It didn’t.

            The young Eriol showed himself as a mirage, like some sort of imaginary friend or schizophrenic hallucination. Whatever the case, Syaoran did his best to ignore him.

            “ _She seems to be getting stronger,_ ” the illusion taunted, “ _Seems like she doesn’t need you. You should get stronger too. I could help. I can make you stronger, young descendant of Clow Reed_.”

            He tried turning on music. It didn’t drown out the voice like he thought it would.

            “ _Dr. Stein can’t detect me, can he? I am a witch…or a warlock rather. It probably has to do with the Soul Protect I put on you. I left you a special spell on your soul. Even Lord Death wouldn’t be able to find it._ ”

            It seemed too ludicrous to believe him. And yet…

            “ _I still have control over you, Syaoran Li. We are connected by blood._ ”

            Syaoran felt his mouth zip shut. He tried to open it, but it was as if someone glued his lips together. Eriol’s soft chuckles rang in his head.

* * *

            “Kero, what’s wrong?”

            Sakura started to get scared when her winged lion froze and stared at the sky. Yue did the same. She tried to shake them, but they were like stone.

            “Soul, I need you down here,” her teacher said on her phone urgently. Angel began to cry in the carrier next to her.

            Before they could react, Eriol was behind Sakura. She turned to face him. He was smiling so gently.

            “You’ve worked so hard,” he praised, “You should rest.”

            He tapped her forehead, and Sakura felt a sharp pain in her left eye before passing out onto the floor. Maka tried to wake her, but she didn’t stir. Angel continued to cry when Soul burst into the room. Eriol was already gone.

* * *

            At the same moment, Syaoran’s chest began to glow.

            “ _Reach inside,_ ” a voice urged.

            His instincts told him not to.

            “ _Reach inside._ ”

            When he slowly gave into the demand, he felt metal. He pulled at it, and it felt as if he were pulling his heart out of his chest. It was excruciating.

            When it was down, he saw that he had summoned a weapon from his soul, just as Sakura had with the Star Wand. It was a golden katana, with an antique flame pattern engraved into the metal. It was sheathed and tied at the hilt with a violet tassel that started at the end of the handle. He held it, and he could feel fire flooding through his veins. And then everything went black.

            Eriol appeared in the room soon after.

            “Now that I have you two apart, this should be much easier,” he told himself.

            He summoned what looked like a dark blue crystal and placed it over Syaoran’s right eye.

            “This should give you the power you search for,” he said, “I have a special task for you, Syaoran Li.”

* * *

            “She’s not waking up?!” Tomoyo cried, “What’ll happen to her?”

            “We don’t know,” Maka mourned, “God, I should’ve done something. It all happened so quickly.”

            Soul brought her in close to him, as if to try and reassure her. Everyone was in the large hospital room they had been in after Yue’s trial. Dr. Stein, Yuuko Ichihara, Meiling, Tomoyo, Cerberus, Yue, Maka, Soul, and Angel all gathered together while Sakura rested on the bed behind them.

            “I don’t understand how he could’ve gotten so strong like this,” Kero growled, “Defeating all of those kishin should’ve kept him from doing any of that.”

            “He must be getting his power somewhere else then,” Yuuko inferred, and she looked out the window at the black bead in the sky that was once the smiling moon.

            “The moon?” Soul pondered, “But no one’s been able to get through that black ball.”

            “He obviously did something we didn’t try,” Dr. Stein commented, “I don’t know what it was, but it must’ve worked.”

            “It would explain the madness spreading like it is,” Maka added, “It not just his power. It would have to be his power and his possible ability to control the moon.”

            “Controlling the moon sounds like a bit of a stretch,” Tomoyo said, “Whatever was keeping the madness in the moon in balance, Clow may have gotten rid of it.”

            This seemed to grab Maka’s attention, and she soon became anxious. Tomoyo noticed this and tried to correct herself.

            “…OR maybe whatever it was has been subdued for now.”

            “Whatever the case, we need to find a way to get to the moon,” interrupted Yue.

            After a moment of silence, Meiling jumped in.

            “Tomoyo and I will be back. We gotta get Syaoran and let him know what’s happening.  We’ll just…let you sort things out and catch up later.”

            As the two girls left, Tomoyo swore she heard Maka murmur something under her breath.

            _“Crona.”_

* * *

            “It was as if the whole room changed when you said that,” Meiling told her weapon partner.

            “It was,” Tomoyo commented, “What…or who is on the moon that everyone found so important?”

            “It was mostly Mrs. Albarn-Evans that seemed the most on-edge,” Meiling added, “There’s so much about that Battle on the Moon that we don’t really know, is there?”

            “I heard Ms. Maka mention something. She said ‘crona’ when we left.”

            “What’s that?”

            “I’m not sure, but I’m sure we can look it up…”

            They stopped their conversation when a figure showed up at the end of the hall. The figure wore a raggedy black cloak. They called out to the figure, but he or she remained silent. The two girls stepped back, however, when swirls of fire and a sort of bright blue Sanskrit-like writing arose from the figure’s feet. As he or she blasted towards them at an inhuman speed, Tomoyo rushed in front of Meiling. The blade of a katana clanged against Tomoyo’s now red metal arm.

            She saw his face.

            “Syaoran?”

            Meiling noticed him too. It was definitely him, but something seemed wrong with the right side of his face. His eye had turned a bright shade of blue, and crystals of a similar color were growing from the side of his eye and over his cheekbone to the edge of his ear and slightly down his jaw.

            The blade in his hands appeared to light up as if it had been placed in intense fire. Tomoyo felt her arm heat up to the point of searing her. It nicked her enough when she shoved the sword away in a swift motion. There was a noticeable cut in her metal arm that sizzled and crackled from the intense heat.

            “Oh my God…” Meiling stammered before turned to her cousin, “The fuck is wrong with you, Syaoran?!”

            He said nothing. He merely lifted his sword, pointing it towards her.

            “Shit,” Tomoyo hissed, “He’s after _you_.”

            “What?” Meiling cried, “Why?!”

            “I dunno, but we need to figure out how to get out of here.”

            They figured running was the best course of action. Tomoyo changed into the Sealing Wand, and Meiling flew away on her like a witch on a broom.

            Both parties sped down the hall, with Syaoran dashing and leaping from certain perches in the hallway. He eventually leaped at the high velocity straight into Meiling, knocking her off Tomoyo’s weapon form and separating the two.

            Once Meiling was pinned to the ground, Syaoran raised his newfound katana to stab her in the back. Tomoyo got up to see what he was about to do, and she charged ahead as fast as she could.

            Syaoran struck downward.

            Meiling felt a heavy weight above her. It was Tomoyo’s body, her back pierced by the strong blade.  


	41. Clairvoyance PART 1: Life

AN: PART ONE OF THREE.

I’ve been waiting for the right time to write this part of the story. I’m really excited! This is purely interpretation of their work, so there’s a chance that some things conflict with actual canon. There was a post that talked about a theory where the events in X/1999 could possibly crossover with the creation of the Clow Cards? I can’t seem to find the post, but it was really interesting and is part of what inspired the fic.

* * *

            It was amazing that Tomoyo  _didn’t_ die. At least, that’s what Mira Nygus told them. Meiling couldn’t seem to stop crying, and Tsubaki consoled her. Beforehand, she and Black«Star found the two girls and ran them to Stein’s office. When he finally tended to Tomoyo, Nygus was in charge of the rest. Everyone else that stayed in Sakura’s makeshift hospital room, except Kero and Yue, ran to the other room. Now, Sakura and Tomoyo were in separate rooms adjacent to each other.

            Stein said that the skin on Tomoyo’s back had become metal, which seemed to prevent the blade from stabbing further into her body. It broke through muscle and scraped against her left shoulder blade. It would take time to heal, and the worse she would have was a scar. From the look of it, it almost spread out like a six-pointed star across the left side of her back.

            “Very odd for a stab wound,” Nygus commented. Tomoyo lay sleeping on her stomach as Nygus placed fresh bandages on her back.

            Meiling and Tsubaki pulled up chairs to her bedside. Unlike Sakura, Tomoyo woke up for a short moment.

            “You’ve been crying,” was the first thing out of her mouth.

            “You scared the shit out of me,” Meiling said, sniffling, “You could’ve died!”

            “It’s all part of the deal,” Tomoyo said weakly, and she reached for Meiling’s hand.

            “I have to be prepared to die…for my meister…”

            And Tomoyo fell asleep.

            Meiling scooted closer and laid her head next to Tomoyo’s pillow. It would be a while before Tsubaki would wake her so she could return to her dorm.

* * *

            “So Clow has control of Syaoran now…” Yuuko said as she breathed out smoke from her long pipe.

            “God…Clow…what are you doing?”

            She had her face bent over notes she had written. Tomoyo would have to take six weeks to recuperate. Meiling’s hair was changing for some bizarre reason and her soul was beginning to have the same makeup as Sakura’s. Syaoran had tried to kill his own cousin in some sort of trance state.

            It seemed bizarre that Meiling was becoming more like Sakura, unless Meiling was part of Sakura. However, it didn’t seem possible.

* * *

            Sakura opened her eyes to see Ms. Sakura once again in front of a cherry blossom tree. 

            “You might be here for a while,” Ms. Sakura smiled nervously, “Have a seat.”

            She sat next to her previous and much older self under the pink foliage.

            “I’ve waited too long to do this, but it’s time that you know…more about me, so to speak,” Ms. Sakura stated.

            “You have a wish you want granted, right?” Sakura said, “You wanted me to have a free will. Isn’t that it?”

            “There’s more to it than that. Since we have a lot of time right now, I won’t talk much. Instead, I’ll just show you.”

            Kneeling in front of each other, Ms. Sakura placed her forehead against her present self’s forehead. Sakura felt her head flood with images as they began to play like a movie in her mind.

            “It all started when Syaoran-kun came back to Japan…”

* * *

            “ _Then we’ll be together…forever…._ ”

            Over the course of two or so years, Ms. Sakura became more experienced in her newly found magic and excelled in her studies. Her growing relationship with Syaoran Li soon reached the point where they started living together, much to her brother’s chagrin.

            Since she didn’t wish to see the future, her dreams seemed to tap into other worlds, showing versions of herself and her lover in many universes. She told these dreams to Syaoran every morning before school started, and he always seemed to listen, a gentle look in his eyes.

            In some instances, the two of them ended up hating each other; at worst they would be mortal enemies. She saw blood sometimes or worse. It was nights like this that she woke up crying. Syaoran would sit up and hold her until she fell back to sleep.

            It was around then that she found Yuuko’s shop. Two small girls greeted her at the entrance. One had a pink bob and dressed in all white and the other wore her pale blue hair in pigtails while wearing an all-black ensemble.

            “Welcome, ma’am,” they said in unison.

            Confused, she walked inside. She soon met Yuuko Ichihara, her kimono improperly opened to reveal her enormous cleavage. They sat and had tea with cookies. Yuuko had her own bottle of sake.

            They met on several occasion, and on the fourth encounter, she finally made her wish.

            “Together across universes?” Yuuko repeated.

            “If there’s a way he and I can be together across every universe where we exist, I want that to happen,” she spoke firmly.

            “Not every situation that occurs from this will be happy. One of you or both of you may die in those instances.”

            Sakura didn’t say anything, but her face showed great determination. Yuuko let out a small sigh.

            “Very well. There is a price. Are you willing to continue?”

            Ms. Sakura nodded.

* * *

            She was to appear before the Princess of Clow Country and surrender her Star Wand to her. What she never knew was the time paradox she involved herself in at the hands of Fei Wong Reed.

            He appeared to her in a dream.

            “Now that your wish is granted, the plan is set in motion,” he said, “Now, my one desire can be fulfilled.”

            “What are you going to do?” she asked. He smiled.

            “My young magician…I’m going to raise the dead.”

* * *

            She was in her twenties when she sat on the floor bleeding. A few days after her birthday, she was pregnant. Now, her future baby was gone. Even in her worst dreams, she never saw this much blood.

            Syaoran Li sat up with her while she cried. He kissed the top of her head and held her as she cried herself to sleep.

* * *

            She saw the Syaoran and Sakura of Clow Country in her dreams soon after. All of their trails and horrors played on like a film with no ending. When it was all said and done, the two were separated in the end.

            In her sleep deprived state, she returned to the shop only to see that Yuuko was gone. A young man had taken her place.

            His name was Kimihiro Watanuki.

            She found out about Yuuko being dead all along. Fei Wong Reed wanted to bring her back to life. She didn’t understand how she got involved, how her wish made such an enormous impact on time and space. She wondered if Fei Wong was a relative of Clow or if it was coincidence. It was never coincidence for her world.

            She saw the past in her dreams once again.

            This time, it was of Clow. Yuuko lay dead in his arms.

            “GIVE HER BACK!” he cried repeatedly, “GIVE HER BACK! GIVE HER BACK!”

            As he finished sobbing, he began talking to himself.

            “I can’t live with these feelings anymore. I wish I could join her somehow. Soon…Yuuko…wait for me.”

            She returned to this dream, seeing centuries passing by, but he never aged or showed signs of dying. No one could kill him. She remembered what his reincarnated form, Eriol, told her he wanted.

            “ _To no longer be the most powerful magician in the world_.”

            Clow spoke in her dreams again.

            “Please split me away from my want to be with her. I can’t deal with this desire to see her alive again. I don’t know how to deal with it.”

            And then, he seemed to split in two. His main half was how he usually was. His other half appeared to be Fei Wong Reed.

* * *

            When she woke the next day, she called Eriol Hiragizawa, to whom she wrote letters often, as well as her old teacher, Ms. Mizuki. Despite the being far away in England, she found it very easy to reach him.

            Their conversation started off casual, but it didn’t take long for Eriol to hear the anxiety in her voice.

            “You wanted to talk about something important, didn’t you?” he asked, “Something is troubling you?”

            “Ah…well, yes,” she said, “I saw something strange in my dream. Clow had split himself once before. There’s a creation that’s part of himself named Fei Wong Reed.”

            “Ah yes… _him_ … I vaguely remember him from the Clow Reed’s memories.”

            “How come you never told me about him?”

            “I can only tell you things if you ask about them.”

            “That still doesn’t excuse the fact that you didn’t tell me about him, when I _should’ve_ known about him to begin with before I…before I made that wish.”

            “Ah yes…with the shop owner.”

            “The previous shop owner, actually. There’s a new shop owner now.”

            There was a moment of silence.

            “Eriol?”

            “So…Yuuko is gone.”

            “You remember her?”

            “I do.”

            “Here’s what I don’t understand. Was it Clow’s wish to no longer be the most powerful magician in the world or was it yours, Eriol? Because…I always thought your desires were the same as his, but…I know you aren’t him, so…”

            He paused for a moment before answering.

            “Because of Clow’s wish to bring Yuuko back to life…”

            Sakura waited.

            “You will find, Sakura, that both wishes are connected. Clow no longer wanted to be the most powerful magician in the world because of his wish to resurrect Yuuko. Being the most powerful is a lonely existence, Sakura.”

            “But…if I’m the most powerful magician now, what will happen to _me_ now?”

            “My powers are limited now, Sakura, so what will happen to you now…I can’t say.”

            Sakura was getting frustrated, and she clenched her hand not holding the phone.

            “I suppose the only advice I can give you…as Eriol…is that you should protect the ones you love. Trying to find answers to the questions you seek may lead you astray from that. I need to go now, Sakura-chan. Farewell.”

            The receiver clicked before Sakura could ask any more.

            To no longer be powerful. To raise the dead. They were both connected somehow.

* * *

            Clow seemed more of a pleasant person in her dreams after that, much like the Clow Reed she was familiar with. His power grew and he became famous among magic users across the Earth. However, she soon noticed a look in his eyes she never noticed before. He seemed empty.

            With his growing power, she soon saw events she had seen before. He would seal Cerberus and Yue away and split into two beings, Eriol and her father. However, she finally saw what she was always curious about: the creation of the Clow Cards.

            Wearing a robe that abstracted his figure, he seemed to have a magic circle on the wall that she soon recognized as Yuuko’s. When he performed a spell she couldn’t hear, a blue glow shot from the wall and onto a small table before Clow.

            “ _O pitiful soul, lost in Limbo, I grant you the power of Wind,_ ” he chanted, “ _Take my power and make a new shape._ ”

            The soul turned a bright gold and transformed into the card she knew as The WINDY. It seemed to writhe in agony, and it disturbed Sakura the more she watched.

            She wasn’t sure where the souls were coming from, but she was determined to find out. She touched Yuuko’s magic circle in the memory, and her dream took her to another time and place.

* * *

            She recognized the world around her as Tokyo, but to her horror, it was falling apart. When she looked down, she just about burst into tears.

            Dead bodies, crushed by rubble or charred by long gone flames, littered the landscape. She saw one small girl struggling under rubble to stay alive.

            As Sakura ran over to help her, the girl passed out and her body began to glow. The blue, glowing substance she saw earlier rose from the young girl’s body and disappeared into Yuuko’s magic circle behind her.

            It hit her. All of the Clow Cards were people that died, turned into magical spirits by Clow’s magic.

            She wanted to find the cause for all of the needless destruction of Tokyo, so she walked over parts of the rubble and soon floated to where she would find her answer. In the center of Tokyo, a circle of debris lay before her, as if an explosion occurred before she came here. In the center were two young men, who looked to be in about high school. They both held rather elaborate swords. She stepped closer to see Hebrew written down the gold decoration of the blade. To her surprise, she could read it.

_Praised are You, Lord God, King of the Universe, at whose Word all things come into being._

            She recognized the two boys. She saw him in her dreams about Princess Sakura and the travelers in the world of Acid Tokyo. The younger of the two with blue eyes was Kamui, and the taller one with shorter hair and brown eyes was Fuuma.

            “Let’s end this, Kamui,” Fuuma says, a wicked grin across his face. Kamui’s face contorted into anger as he screamed and lunged at his enemy.

As they fought, images flashed before Sakura’s eyes. She saw the two walking together as friends with a young girl walking beside them. She saw the girl soon strapped to a cross and butchered before Kamui’s eyes. She saw comrades of Kamui fight Fuuma’s comrades but also fall in love with each other, each situation ending with someone killing the one they loved. She saw tears stream down Kamui’s face, which soon reflected the tears that ran down hers.

            Kamui was soon on the ground, and Fuuma was about to stab him through the chest. Before she could see it, her dream flashed back to Clow Reed.

            All of cards were complete.

            “Soon, I will no longer be the most powerful magician in the world,” Clow told himself, “And then, I will be able to join you, Yuuko…”

            She woke up, her face wet with tears, and her husband next to her, looking concerned.

            “It was just another dream, Syaoran,” she assured, “Get some sleep. You need it more than I do.”

            He didn’t seem entirely convince and brought her close to him. They fell asleep in each other’s arms.

* * *

            When Syaoran came home for the evening, he found Sakura’s magic circle drawn on the living room floor, with Kero waiting patiently.

            “What’s all this?” Syaoran asked, “What are you doing here, Cerberus? You’re supposed to be with Tomoyo…”

            “I’m waiting for her to get back,” the small animal replied.

            The magic circle flashed, and Sakura instantly materialized into the room. It happened so quickly that both Syaoran and Kero jumped back a little. Syaoran fell to the floor.

            Sakura wobbled a little but instantly perked up when she looked around her.

            “I KNEW IT!” she cried.

            “Wh…what’s going on?” Syaoran asked anxiously.

            “I can use my powers without the Star Wand! I mean…I figured I still had some power still when I had those weird dreams, but…”

            “Hey, hey! Slow down,” Syaoran said, grabbing a hold of his partner’s hands, “Tell me what happened.”

            She told him that she tested to see if she had her magic still and could use it, and she did. She was able to see visions of the past and other worlds without having to be asleep. Surrendering the wand meant not using the Star Cards anymore. It didn’t mean completely relinquishing her powers. He tested other abilities that she didn’t know she had earlier. It included moving objects and creating shields. She also was able to make a sort of crystal shard, but when she did, it made her extremely tired. She could travel to different worlds at will but only view them, not be physically present in that moment. Trying to do so also made her weak.

            “Do you think that the more you do these things, the more powerful you’ll become?” Syaoran asked.

            “There’s a possibility,” Kero intervened, “But it’d be dangerous, and if she does it too much, it could lead to unwanted attention. She can only view certain spaces, but if she visits them often, people there with magical powers could sense her.”

            “That _could_ be dangerous,” Sakura murmured to herself, “But…it’s still worth trying.”

            Syaoran and Kero looked at her, concerned.

            “Eriol told me that I need to protect the ones I care about, so…if I can become a better magician, I…I might be able to do that!”

            Syaoran gave her hands a light squeeze.

            “Just don’t push yourself too hard, okay?” he told her, “I don’t want you to get hurt.”

            “You _could_ try to stop me, if you’re not okay with it,” she responded.

            “You’d still do it anyways, whether I tried to stop you or not.”

            Sakura giggled then sighed.

            “I’m with you, Sakura,” he said earnestly, “I’ll go wherever you go.”

            She smiled at her partner earnestly, and then the doorbell rang. It was Tomoyo.

            The two girls hugged and Kero flew towards them.

            “I came by to pick him up,” Tomoyo sing-songed, “Also, I made something for you two. Since I don’t foresee making Sakura’s wedding dress anytime soon, I made you twooooo…matching outfits!!!”

            She held out two folded bundles for each of them. The pink one was obviously Sakura’s. It was a kimono-like dress, in pinks and golds. The obi piece that would be tied around her midsection was a pretty shade of lilac, like the violet in the evening sky. There were slits on the sides like what would be sewn into a Chinese-inspired dress. It came with white harem pants to be worn underneath. Tomoyo soon held out matching slippers. Syaoran’s outfit was similar, only the colors were green and a light shade of teal. It also had gold accents like hers.

            Out of sheer habit, Sakura ran off to go put it on. Syaoran did the same. They came back out wearing their new wardrobe, and Tomoyo cheered, hugging them both.

            Sakura would remember this memory the most in the future, and it would also cause her the most pain.

* * *

            It was one morning that Sakura brought up a subject that she and her partner hadn’t discussed since high school. Syaoran would bring it up sometimes, but it was something Sakura seemed to push back for the longest time. Something in her gut told her not to, except for today.

            “Do you remember when you talked about marrying me our senior year?” she asked him at breakfast. Syaoran nearly choked on his food.

            “Wha…well, yes, but…why are you bringing it up?”

            “Well…it been a week since Tomoyo gave us those outfits, and since then, while I’ve been practicing my magic and stuff…I started thinking: why not?”

            “Why not what?”

            “We should do it! Get married!”

            Syaoran thought he was having a heart attack, but he kept his composure, fearing he was going to give away how happy he was.

            “I…I thought that you didn’t want…”           

            “I didn’t, but I guess…well I’ve given it a lot of thought, and I’ve made too many decisions based on gut feeling. Like…why not take a chance, you know? And…I’ll be honest, I’ve really wanted to…you know…tie the knot, but…something in my gut has been telling me, ‘no.’”

            “I remember you telling me about that,” he said, “I just always…I thought you didn’t want that, and that’s what that feeling in your gut was telling you.”

            “Well, I figured it out. It’s part of my precognitive ability. This…intuition. Something…if we get married, something’s going to happen on that day.”

            Syaoran focused even closer on what she was saying.

            “I saw it. There were portals opening up. And we…we all died.”

            Her partner froze.

            “But you know what? I’ve got a plan. The wedding’s set on April 2nd in that vision I saw, so all we need to do is have the wedding a day early!”

            “But…that’s your birthday…”

            “Well, it’ll just make the day all the more special. Double the cake!”

            She giggled until it slowly tied away, and she had an affectionate look in her eyes. She got up from her chair and stood in front of her partner.

            “I’m sorry I rejected your proposals…I think it was twice in a row. It hurt me to do it, but it probably hurt you more.”

            “You’re not doing this because you feel sorry for me?” he asked her.

            She smiled and shook her head.

            “You really want to do this?”

            She nodded.

            “Hold on a sec.”

            He scrambled out of his chair and ran off towards the bedroom. She could hear him digging through the something and running back. He had a black box in his hand, and he got down on one knee. He wanted to look her in the eye, but his face was so red while opening the box that he couldn’t. There was a small, diamond ring inside.

            “S…Sa…Sakura…Kino…mo…moto…would you…(shit) it would be an honor…(no)…will you m…mmm”

            He could hear her giggle a little and he blushed harder. She held his hands as he held the box, and he looked up. She wore a short-sleeved button-up pj set and her hair was a hot mess. Her eyes were so green, and the light was hitting them just right that they seemed to sparkle. It had been fifteen years since he met her, and she grew lovelier every day. He relaxed a little and spoke again.

            “Will you marry me?”

            She knelt down to meet his gaze, and with her hands grazing his and grabbing the box, she answered.

            “Yes.”

            They put the ring on her finger and they embraced for the longest time.


	42. Clairvoyance PART 2: Death

AN: PART TWO OF THREE.

            I had planned on making Ms. Sakura’s past one chapter, but it was getting long, so now it’s three parts. Last time, we ended in fluff. Now we end with sad. I cry as I write this part. Also, gotta point this out. Isn’t it strange that Meiling is a blood relative of Clow Reed in the anime universe, but also in the anime universe, Fujimoto’s ties to Clow Reed are never brought up. Hmmm…

* * *

            Tomoyo about cried over the phone when Sakura told her. Form that moment on, Sakura was with Tomoyo night and day planning this wedding. It was nothing extravagant. It was simple and small, and Tomoyo made sure to make a dress Sakura was happy with rather than the flashiest dress in the world (as was Tomoyo’s taste given the outfits she made in the past).

            April first was the day of the wedding, and Sakura was in her bridal gown, ready for the ceremony. As Tomoyo and her looked in the mirror, Tomoyo started to cry.

            “What’s wrong?” Sakura asked, concerned.

            “Turn around in it,” Tomoyo smiled. Sakura did so, slowly.

            “You look so beautiful,” Tomoyo weeped, and she fell to the floor. Sakura ran to her.

            “Are you okay, Tomoyo? Talk to me!”

            “I’m fine, Sakura,” she assured her friend, “I’m just so…so happy.”

            Sakura hugged her tightly.

            “You’re my best friend in the world, Tomoyo.”

            “I wouldn’t have it any other way.”

            When Sakura looked at her again, she could’ve sworn she saw sadness in Tomoyo’s eyes. It immediately disappeared when she dried her tears and they both got up. They both went out. Tomoyo joined the bridesmaids in line, and Sakura joined her father.

* * *

            The wedding was a success, but it didn’t stop Sakura’s prophetic dreaming, as per usual.

            She finally saw the reason why her gut was telling her the marriage wasn’t a good idea. It wasn’t just because of April 2nd.

            She was beginning to see the Clow Reed family tree. It was extensive. However, she noticed that she, Touya, and herself were all in the family tree.

            _But dad is just a reincarnation. He doesn’t have Clow’s blood. That would be Eriol, wouldn’t it_?

            Despite being very apart from each other in the tree, she and Syaoran were related.

            What disturbed her the most was that was the reason she had powers. Because of Clow. He didn’t pick her because of her capabilities. Syaoran had told her a word for that once. She believed the word was _nepotism_.

* * *

            She was soon in the realm of the apocalyptic Tokyo once again. The sky flashed, and the ground shook. The two boys were fighting above her, dragons and flames filling the skies, which were blood red.

            She saw Fuuma standing over Kamui, who was struggling to get up again. Fuuma had his sword ready to stab him through the chest.

            The skies warped, and Fei Wong Reid appeared as a ghost beside her.

            “I must return to my other half…” was all he said before opening a hole in the sky. The destruction of the world around them went with him, and Sakura awoke covered in sweat.

* * *

            Outside her apartment, the skies were grey, lightening flashing violently, and yet there was no rain. Sakura saw all of this outside her window. The day was April 5 th . She had changed the future, if only a little.

            “Syaoran,” she hissed, “ _Wake up!”_

            He sat up, alert, but not completely awake. He looked at her, and his eyes opened a little more as he saw the worry on her face.

            “What’s going on?” he said.

            “We need to get to safety. I need to take care of Fei Wong Reed. You need to stay inside, no matter what happens.”

            “What? Fei Wong Reed? From…Clow Country? How…I thought you told me he was dead.”

            “He is…but his spirit is somehow free to roam as it pleases. I don’t know how or why, but I gotta take care of it. If I could transport him somewhere else or…”

            “Wait, I don’t want you to go out there alone. Let me help…”

            She looked at him earnestly.

            “I can’t let what I saw happen today. In order for that to work, you need to stay inside where it’s safe.”

            “But…what about you?”

            “I’m sure I’ll be alright.”

            He recognized her invincible spell, and he nodded. She kissed him on the cheek, and then ran out.

            She was in the outfit Tomoyo recently gave her. Closing her eyes, Sakura held her hands to her heart and squeezed. Her magic circle appeared under her feet. She looked down, proud of her work. She pulled a Star Cad from her pocket.

            “FLY!”

            It worked. She could use the cards now without the wand. She’d gotten stronger without even knowing it. As she headed towards the sky, she saw portals opening. She formed a crystal shard in her hand and threw it at one at high speed. Hitting the center of the portal, it puckered into the clouds and vanished.

            “Yes!” she congratulated herself, but then she felt herself get weak. She started to float down but still forced herself to stay up. The overuse of magic was taking a toll on her. Despite this, she did the same thing again two more times. Each time, a portal vanished, but each time, it was harder and harder to stay floating above the ground. Soon, she could fly anymore and began to plummet to the ground.

            She felt a lion’s mouth grab the back of her clothes and set her gently on the ground.

            “Kero-chan!” she cried with joy, hugging him in his true form.

            “Nice to see ya’ too kid, but you scared the crap out of me!” he said.

            “Heh…sorry.”

            “You shouldn’t be so reckless,” a voice told her from above. It was Yue.

            “You haven’t changed a bit,” she smirked.

            “I do not age, young master.”

            They all looked at the sky, and then Sakura remembered.

            “Where’s Tomoyo?” Sakura asked.

            “Safe inside her house,” Kero answered, “She’s sheltered in the basement.”

            “Good, I’ll need your help, you guys. We need to fly close to those portals and close them. See if your magic can help as well.”

            They followed her orders, with her riding on Kero’s back. Yue shot his light arrows at the portals while Kero breathed fire into them. They shrunk the portals, but they only grew to their original size again.

            “Our powers aren’t working!” Kero cried.

            “Then, I suppose I’ll have to use these,” Sakura said firmly, and she formed another crystal shard, “Kero, keep me in the air.”

            “You got it.”

            It took time, as Sakura had to gather energy each time she closed a portal. Before she could close the last one, Fei Wong Reed flew through it.

            “I’ve found you, young Sakura of another world,” he said, “Where is the one you call Eriol in this world?”

            Sakura stayed silent.

            “Ah, there he is!” Fei Wong cried. Sakura stiffened but turned around to see Eriol and Ms. Mizuki on the ground below. As Fei Wong floated slowly towards them, Sakura, Kero, and Yue swooped towards them and landed swiftly in front of them.

            “What are you two doing here?!” she cried, “You should be back in England! I told you about what was to happen!”

            “You did,” Eriol nodded.

            “So why are you here?!”

            “Because I’m supposed to be here.”

            Sakura looked confused.

            “With the choice you made, you still chose power over your loved ones.”

            “No, I became stronger so I could protect the ones I care about!”

            “Even with that in mind, my path was set in motion, Sakura.”

            “I don’t understand.”

            “Everything is connected, Sakura. You should see that now with the power you’ve gained. From world to world, in time and space, every event is connected. Every choice we make matters. These events were meant to happen. You may have been able to change when the events occur, but what happens next cannot be altered.”

            Fei Wong charged towards her, slamming into her as she flew across the street landing right where her apartment would be. She landed on her right shoulder. Her arm ached. She saw cuts and scrapes on her clothes, blood starting to seep through. She saw the portal right above her, and she made another shard. She had to try and close it, and yet Fei Wong was heading right towards her, his arm becoming a sharp blade.

            If she shot the shard at him, she knew what would happen. She would collapse. She would wake to the debris of the apocalyptic Tokyo around her, a large piece of earth crushing her partner, her friends crushed around her or in their houses. She would be the only one left. She had to shoot the portal. It was that or let everyone else die. She needed to close the portal, even if it meant her dying.

            She raised her hand to the sky.

            A figure jumped in front of her, sword in hand.

            “GODS OF THUNDER, ANSWER MY CALL!”

            Syaoran struck Fei Wong with a streak of lightning. It didn’t stop him, but it did slow him down.

            “SYAORAN! Get back inside!” Sakura cried.

            “TAKE MY HAND!”

            She looked confused.

            “YOU NEED POWER, RIGHT? AND THE SHARDS TAKE PART OF YOUR STRENGTH! TAKE MINE!”

            She didn’t forsee this, but she trusted him, taking his hand with her left and raising her right hand.

            As the shard shot through the air, Fei Wong sped towards them again. She could put up a shield, but she felt too weak. It took even more energy, she realized to shoot the shards from a farther distance. She felt her sight fading. She leaned against her partner. He turned around to hold her.

            When her sight came back, she saw Fei Wong’s sword strike through someone’s abdomen. Shades of green and red flashed before her, and she passed out.

* * *

            Fei Wong’s spirit lay motionless on the ground, as did Syaoran’s body. The sun was rising as Sakura opened her eyes. Everything looked normal aside from a fading spirit and a young man bleeding to death.

            She ran to Syaoran and saw a gushing wound in his abdomen. She tried to clot it with her sleeves, but the wound went through the back of his body as well.

            “Oh God…how long have I…” she began.

            “You were only out for a short moment,” Yue interrupted, “The sky just cleared. Eriol and Ms. Mizuki are headed your way. Your lover is still alive, if just barely.”

            “SYAORAN?! Syaoran, open your eyes, please!”

            Syaoran flinched and looked over at her. She sighed a little before speaking frantically.

            “Don’t worry, I can fix this, okay? I’m sure I could heal with magic somehow...”

            She placed her hands on the wound and focused her energy. It began to glow and started to close. However, Sakura felt pain in her abdomen as she did this. She looked down and saw blood beginning to stain in the same place Syaoran’s wound would be on her body. When he saw this, Syaoran stopped her.

            “No…nonononononono…you have to…no, you have to let me do this,” she wimpered.

            “Sakura…you’ll die if you try doing that again,” he managed to say.

            “I DON’T CARE! _You’ll_ die if I don’t do something!!”

            He held her hand.

            “Sakura…if I die from protecting you…it…won’t be your fault. You know that, right?”

            “You’re NOT going to die, Syaoran! You can’t!!!”

            “I’m your partner, Sakura…I’m…willing to die for my…”

            He coughed up blood, and Sakura started to cry.

            “No…please…” she weeped.

            “Sakura…remember your invincible spell…no matter what happens to me.”

            She leaned in close, and he spoke in her ear.

            “I’m sure…you’ll be…alright…”

            When she looked at him again, his hand was limp in hers, and his eyes were blank. She couldn’t speak. She saw a hand rest over his eyes and close them.

            “He can rest now,” said Yue.

            He was right. She looked at Syaoran, and he now looked like he was sleeping. She wanted to deny it all, shake him awake, but she knew. She knew, and she couldn’t control her sobs. Kero and Yue held her as she cried over Syaoran’s now cold body.

            They looked up with Eriol and Ms. Mizuki made it over. These two people that she considered friends now looked like the worst of enemies to her.

            “YOU!” she wailed, “YOU COULD’VE HELPED!!!”

            “That’s not part of our set path,” Eriol told her, a sad look in his eyes.

            “Nor is it part of mine,” Ms. Mizuki spoke.

            “THAT’S SHOULDN’T MATTER!!! YOU HAVE FREE WILL! YOU MADE A CHOICE! AND YOU CHOSE NOT TO HELP!!!”

            “What did you think was going to happen by making a different choice, Sakura?” Eriol said sternly.

            She froze as he walked over to Fei Wong.

            “Did you think that changing the future would automatically save everyone? I told you…those two wishes are one in the same.”

            Ms. Mizuki walked over to Fei Wong Reed as well. As they touched the spirit, all three of them morphed together into something else. Sure enough, Clow Reed appeared before them. He looked down at himself in surprise.

            “It…it worked!” he cried, “I’m reborn again!”

            “Clow…” Yue spoke to himself.

            “No…it can’t be…” Kero spoke in horror, “Clow Reed is dead.”

            “Yes, he is,” Clow spoke, “I suppose you could call me…Clow Reed the Second.”

            “Another reincarnation…” Sakura muttered.

            “Exactly!” he said in a gentle and cheerful manner, “You see, I learned that you can’t bring people back from the dead, but they can be reborn over and over! Different people, but with similarities!”

            “The multiple universes…”

            “Precisely! Now, I must go, I must travel many universes until I find Yuuko.”

            His demeanor began to change. His face contorted into something frightening, stretching and swirling, until it completely disappeared.

            “Now…we can be together,” he said, his voice sounding distorted and unnatural. It terrified three before him. Sakura finally spoke.

            “You lied to me…” she wept softly, “You said you no longer wanted to be the most powerful magician in the world…isn’t it what caused all this? Your want for power…”

            “The world for one with power is a lonely place. Do you know why Yuuko died?”

            Sakura didn’t answer. She honestly wasn’t sure.

            “She was sick, you see. And the more I grew in power, the sicker she became. Don’t you see, Sakura?! You can’t have love if you have power! If you try to keep both, one will be taken away!

            “You sought power to protect others, but you will lose the ones you care for most. Soon, you won’t age. You won’t be able to kill yourself. You can only wait until your soul diminishes, and the power you obtained eats away at you. And then, you will reincarnate, and the cycle will happen all over again. As long as I go through the cycle, so will you. We have become the most powerful magicians in the world! You are fated to be with my blood relation in every instance thanks to your wish. And you will suffer the agony of death or the agony of the ones you love dying before you over and over…”

            The tears wouldn’t stop running down Sakura face. He did this. All of this. Her life…her other selves in other worlds…all ruined because of this man’s wish to be with the one he loved.

            This was wrong. Fate was wrong. She wouldn’t accept this.

            As Clow disappeared, Kero and Yue tried to stop him, but to no avail.

            At that moment, Sakura began to plan.

* * *

            In all of Tomoyo’s years, she had never seen a sadder funeral. In all her short years, she had never seen Sakura look as dead inside as she did that day.

* * *

            Sakura stayed at Tomoyo’s place from that moment on. She didn’t want to live in the apartment anymore. She didn’t want to have visual reminders of the happy memories that would now only cause her pains.

            Tomoyo was by her side when she could be. Even while running her mother’s business, she always found time for Sakura. She helped her work through her grief, and she helped Sakura in her growth as a magician. Despite what Clow Reed had said, she wasn’t going to let fate decide her future.

            She practiced spells. She made new ones. She took the cards she had and learned everything she could about them, writing it all down: who they were before, where their magic came from, and how to set them free. While she tried to free them herself, it proved frivolous. Still, she focused on something else.

            This wouldn’t be just about revenge against Clow, she had decided. This would be about eliminating him from her many lives but still continuing to exist. He mainly connected to three universes thus far. She kept tabs on where he was and what he did. Thankfully, he only searched for Yuuko and not much else.

            She took all her notes and wrote them neatly on nicer paper. She let Tomoyo add drawings with her artistic talents, and Tomoyo taught her how to bind a book.

            Sakura tore out the box-like tray that held the Star Cards out of the Book of Clow and made it her book’s cover.

            It wasn’t long after that Sakura sealed Kero and Yue inside the book.

            “See you on the other side.”

* * *

            “You’re not going to raise Syaoran from the dead…are you?” Tomoyo asked hesitantly, “With this plan?”

            “Nope,” Sakura smiled, “If everything goes as I hope, I won’t have to.”

            “That’s not reassuring me, Sakura.”

            “Sorry. I promise, I won’t.”

            “What will happen to all of us?”

            “You will continue living on, and I will be a state of…well…not-dead but not-alive either.”

            “Like a sort of limbo?”

            “Exactly! In order for Clow to completely disappear, I need a version of myself to be born in a world where they will have free will. She…or he…however it works out, will have to defeat Clow Reed in their world.”

            “I see…”

            “Well, it’s time for me to go. … I’ll miss you, Tomoyo.”

            They hugged before Sakura walked a few step and formed her magic circle below her.

            “Sakura!”

            She turned to her best friend.

            “Promise me that I’ll get to see this world you’re talking about!”

            Sakura held out her pinky, smiling.  Tomoyo locked her pinky with hers, and Sakura disappeared like a gust of wind.

* * *

            She still remember Fuuma and Kamui from the apocalyptic Tokyo. She decided to visit their world while she was awake.

            When she arrived, the world around her appeared still, frozen in time. Debris floated around her. She looked up at the sky to see the blood red sky again, the portal Fei Wong Reed created was closed, but it at left a warped hole in the sky, with pieces of buildings heading towards it but never moving.

            Kamui and Fuuma were frozen in place, the sword inches from Kamui’s chest. She walked swiftly over to them and touched the Sacred Sword in Fuuma’s hands.

            Her mind flashed to an image of a woman tied to a cross. She remembered. It was Fuuma’s sister. Her body split into seven pieces. She was the catalyst to the apocalypse in this world.

            The Sacred Sword was now in Sakura’s hands. She set it into the ground and touched the two boys on the shoulder.

            They unfroze, breathing heavily. Fuuma looked at his hands, wondering where his sword went. They both looked at Sakura and then the sword. Fuuma reached for it, but Sakura shook her head.

            “Who are you?” Kamui asked.

            “GIVE ME MY SWORD!” Fuuma bellowed, “This is our fight.”

            “Your fight has long since stopped,” Sakura told them sternly, “This world is in a permanent stalemate. Look around you.”

            The boys did so, and they saw that even though they moved, the rest of the world didn’t.

            “A force came through here, distorting your reality,” she went on, “In light of his absence…I suppose I must take partial blame for this. I’m here to fix what I can.”

            “What could you possibly do?” Fuuma retorted, “We are…”

            “Fated to battle for the fate of the Earth,” Sakura interrupted, “Yes, I know. How will you do that, if your world is in a permanent limbo? You can’t.”

            “But…our destiny…” Kamui muttered, shaking his head.

            “…Is your own to make,” Sakura smiled sadly, “This is the first step I’m making to change things. You two are the last remaining souls in this world, so I will take you where you wish you go. Fuuma…you were going to destroy this Earth so it would be reborn. Kamui…you were trying to save this Earth and protect the ones you love. I understand where you’re coming from. What is it that you both want more than anything?”

            The two of them looked down and thought for a moment. At that, Kamui’s eyes filled with tears.

            “Kotori…” he wept.

            “You have _no_ right to mourn for my sister!” Fuuma shouted, “You killed her!”

            “Correction,” Sakura intervened, “ _You_ killed her. You are Kamui’s ‘twin star,’ as it’s called here. You are Kamui’s other half. What you saw was your half of his soul killing her. Here.”

            She put the tips of her fingers to his forehead, and he saw it: all of the horrible things he had done, without being conscious of it.

            “How are…these can’t be real,” he stuttered out, and he placed his head in his hands.  

            “I’m afraid they are,” Sakura told him, a look of pity in her eyes. She turned to Kamui.

            “You wanted to tell him, but you couldn’t, could you?” she addressed Kamui, “He probably wouldn’t have believed you anyway, right?”

            Kamui nodded.

            “Where is it that you two would like to be?” she asked them.

            They looked at her earnest.

            “I want to be where Kotori is,” Kamui said.

            “I…I also wish to be with Kotori, even though I’ve…” Fuuma choked out before trying to hold back any more tears.

            “Very well,” Sakura smiled sadly again, “I shall grant you your wish.”

            She held up the Sacred Sword, and her magic circle appeared.

            “Who are you?” Fuuma muttered, “Are you…like an Angel of Death?”

            Sakura looked at him with an earnest smile as a tear rolled down her face.

            “I suppose, at the moment, I am,” she said, and the sword pierced through Fuuma’s heart. Before Kamui could react, the sword went through his chest as well.

            Sakura cried as the two boys lay dead before her. Once she had wiped her eyes, she knelt down and prayed.

            _“I call to the Heavens above. I am the Girl So Loved By The Gods. Forgive me for taking these lives before me, but lead them to the angel that lives in your home. I offer this sacred weapon as a sacrifice that they may be welcomed into your light.”_

            To her surprise, the blood red in the sky faded away, turning gray, and a light shown from the clouds. The two bodies before her disappeared, and the Sacred Sword floated into the sky.

            It was when the world around her started to crumble that she knew to leave. She saw later two visions. One was of the Earth crumbling away into dust, as if it never existed. The other was of Fuuma, Kamui, and Kotori walking together in a heavenly light.


	43. Clairvoyance PART 3: Crona

AN: PART THREE OF THREE. Ms. Sakura’s story is about to split into the present. Now, These chapters have been crazy long and have been a _pain_ to edit, so I apologize for the wait. Have a Crona. Lots of Crona.

* * *

            “That’s a tall order, Ms. Sakura,” said the new shopowner.

            “I know,” she answered, “There’s a price.”

            Kimihiro Watanuki took a smoke of his pipe, the one that used to be Yuuko’s, before speaking again.

            “How do you plan to pay?”

            “My soul shall remain at your shop until the destined time that my younger self finds me. Before then, I will find everyone’s being from my world and they will be reborn in the world I find for them.”

            “Seems fair, but I must ask for more. The memory of you.”

            Sakura looked confused.

            “You care for everyone around you. When you leave, their memories of you will be erased.”

            “Everyone?”

            “Yes.”

            Sakura looked sad, but she composed herself and nodded.

* * *

            She found an alternate universe that was exactly like her own. Tomoeda was the same, but the events were somewhat different. There were more cards. She didn’t see her father awake or not during her battle with Eriol. And there was another person with her and her friends.

            Her name was Meiling Li, Syaoran’s cousin. She never remembered Syaoran mentioning any cousins named Meiling in her world. It seemed curious, and it gave her an idea.

            She jotted more notes and added pages to the Book of Clow and set off through other universes.

* * *

            It felt like an eternity, and then…she met a person in the same space as her. They were tall and skinny with light pink hair, light purple in a different like. They were dressed in white and jumped in fright at the sight of Ms. Sakura.

            “Ah…haha…interesting,” they said, “Even after so long, I still don’t know how to deal with other people.”

            This person had a third eye on their forehead, but it’s corners sat vertically, and it looked more like a crude drawing. Nevertheless, it blinked and moved like an actual eye. The person’s face was smooth but pale. Their eyes were light blue with dark circles under them. She didn’t know exactly whether they were a boy or a girl, because their features were a mix of both genders.

            “My name is Sakura Kinomoto,” she said, “What’s your name, sir or ma’am?”

            “I was known as Demon Swordsman Crona on Earth,” they said, “Now, I am the Second God of Madness, and I imprison the First One in this.”

            They held out a box that seemed to look like a broken up rubix cube, constantly shifting smaller cubes around but still maintaining a cubical shape.

            “And what is this interesting device?” Sakura asked. She honestly didn’t know. There were only so many universes she could remember, and she hadn’t really seen the world that this person belonged to.

            “It’s called BREW,” they answered with a smile, “It holds the wisdom and power of the Old One called Eibon.”

            “And you guard it?”

            “Yes.”

            “You’re basically like a god here, aren’t you?”

            Crona immediately blushed and hid their face.

            “I sense that you’re incredibly powerful,” Sakura continued as she patted Crona’s back, “You’re holding an older god in captivity using the wisdom of another older god. Do…gods die in this world?”

            “They do. The new God of Death resides down there.”

            They pointed forward and Sakura looked out. Below her, there was a city built in the desert, a large and strange building in the center.

            “The God of Death runs a school to train demon humans. They call them demon weapons. Because they can transform into weapons, they’re trained to reap evil souls and protect pure souls.”

            “They’re like young grim reapers, almost,” Sakura told herself.

            At this, Crona seemed to giggle.

            “Ha…funny, I haven’t laughed like that since…since her…”

            “Her?”

            “Her name is Maka Albarn.”

            Crona pointed again. A young teen girl with ash blonde pigtails and green eyes appeared. She seemed to be in company with a young man with white hair, tan skin, and sharp teeth.

            “You remind me of her,” Crona said to Sakura.

            “In what way?” she asked.

            Crona looked down at her chest, and it started to glow. Sakura saw a blue orb-like flame within her own chest.

            “Your souls are the same,” Crona smiled.

* * *

            She told them about her wish and her past, and Crona listened intently.

            “I see,” Crona spoke, “You’re life was like mine. Someone decided a path for you. You thought you decided on it yourself, but you were only lead along.”

            Sakura grimaced.

            “You had a family member that was barely involved in your life, and you went along with what they said, because it seemed like the right thing to do.”

            “Well, it wasn’t exactly that, but…we led lives where we were given a set path to follow,” Sakura nodded.

            Crona nodded with her.

            “I can help. Bring your new reality to this world. I know the people there right now can give you the guidance you need.”

* * *

            Soon, it was set in motion. Sakura gave Crona the Book of Clow and the Star Cards soon turned back into Clow Cards to release to the surface. A future began to form for Sakura to see. All of her friends and family were there, except…

Soon, she was sealed into the cherry blossom tree in front of the shop. In that time, she slept, and she dreamed. Her dreams let her travel where she could, and she spoke to Tomoyo after everyone else in her life had passed on. What surprised her was that Tomoyo instantly remembered her, where others barely remembered.

            _“Why…why are you here?” older Tomoyo asked, horror evident on her face._

_“To find everyone,” the older Sakura replied, “To fix everything that Clow Reed broke.”_

_“But if you’re here, that means you’re…NO! NO NO NO NO NO! SAKURA-CHAN!!!!”_

_The older Tomoyo ran up and wrapped her arms around Sakura’s waist, falling to her knees in sobs._

_“It’s okay, Tomoyo-chan, really,” she cooed, “Don’t cry.”_

_“BUT YOU CAN’T BE DEAD!!! YOU CAN’T BE!!!”_

_“No one lives forever.”_

_“BUT…but look at you. You’re still so young and beautiful! You should be with Syaoran-kun, and…”_

_Sakura’s face fell._

_“Everyone is dead, Tomoyo. Everyone I love…everyone in my life is gone. He did this. Clow Reed, he… He’s torn apart everything.”_

_“But…but how?”_

_“In another universe, a wish was granted. It became distorted and somehow affected our universe as well. And all of it, I discovered, was linked to Clow Reed, the Clow Cards, and the wish he had and thrust onto me. Now, he’s become a distortion in a different universe. I…I have to stop him.”_

_“And now you’re dead…”_

_“Not completely. My body is completely gone, but my soul still remains. I can go to different universes only so often through dreams now. I was…surprised to see you here. I thought you’d be with VOID…”_

_“The VOID card?”_

_“Yes! I’ve got it all figured out! I’m going to send the Clow Cards to a reincarnation of myself that I found in this universe! She has the power to stop Clow Reed once and for all! Everything will be fixed!”_

_“Am I there?”_

_“I’m afraid not. I didn’t see you there. I did see Syaoran-kun, and dad, and…Tomoyo-chan?”_

_The older Tomoyo was looking on the ground now and chuckling in defeat._

_“Hah…even in other universes, we’re not meant to be, are we?”_

_“Huh?”_

_“You never knew Sakura, but…sometimes, I always thought that…in some other universe, we’d be together.”_

_“You’re still my best friend, Tomoyo-chan! That hasn’t cha—”_

_“THAT’S NOT WHAT I MEAN!”_

_Sakura was taken aback now as Tomoyo sobbed._

_“Sakura-chan, you’re a smart girl, but BY GOD you are dense as can be sometimes. It was so frustrating, especially when I…”_

_When she saw the hurt in her friend’s eyes, she stopped._

_“I’m sorry, I…”_

_“No…you’re right. I was…can be a bit dense. I’m sorry.”_

_Tomoyo looked at her friend straight in the eye._

_“I love you.”_

_Sakura had sadness in her eyes._

_“Even as you walked down the aisle with that wonderful boy, even as you looked at Yukito-san with longing when you were ten, from the moment I saw you Sakura-chan I loved you with every once of my being.”_

_Sakura began crying._

_“And I know you love Syaoran-kun the most. I wanted to see you happy. And even now, if you’re happy, then so am I! But these feelings…never went away! Even now, I curse the fact that I have them! I thought I’d find someone like you did! I tried dating men, and I just…I CAN’T! I ONLY HAD EYES FOR YOU! EVERY GIRL THAT I SAW WHILE I WAS ALIVE LOOKED LIKE YOU!!! I’M NOT ATTRACTED TO BOYS! I CAN’T EVEN FORCE MYSELF TO LIKE BOYS THAT WAY WHEN I TRY! I’M ALL ALONE! I’M IN LOVE WITH YOU, AND YOU’RE NOT IN LOVE WITH ME, AND THERE’S NO SPECIAL PERSON OUT THERE FOR ME, NO MATTER HOW HARD I PRAY!!!”_

_The older Tomoyo was a sobbing mess as older Sakura let hers roll down her cheeks. Tomoyo and DARK merely watched, but Tomoyo started to cry as well._

_Sakura held her friend tightly._

_“I’m sorry, Tomoyo-chan,” she choked, “I’m sorry I can’t feel the same way, and I’m sorry that I never…that I never saw how you felt.”_

_She lifted Tomoyo’s face to meet her gaze._

_“Don’t worry,” she told her friend, “I’ve got an idea. I’m going to make sure you find someone just for you. I’m sure there’s someone. No, I know it! Come with me.”_

                  She sealed Tomoyo’s soul with The DARK Card, and she kept LIGHT with her own soul.

            She took her soul and split parts of it into new beings. One of them was her new self. The her that would appear in Crona’s universe. The other was the girl she saw in her own alternate universe: Meiling Li. Sakura Kinomoto would have the heart and soul of the original Sakura. She would have no ties to Clow Reed as a descendant. Meiling Li would be her own personality and soul, and she would have Sakura’s original blood in her veins. The blood itself became part of the price for Sakura’s other wish: for Tomoyo to be in the same world her new self was and to find love.

            The new beings were sent away, waiting for their time to come. Soon, Clow Reed would arrive there, and Sakura knew Yuuko would show herself as well. And that was the last time she followed her intuition before falling into a deep sleep. She had no dreams, and it was the best sleep she ever had.

            _She didn’t awaken until the new Sakura Kinomoto was born._

* * *

            “You know the details from there,” Ms. Sakura finished.

            Sakura was aware of her surroundings again. She had seen every single memory of Ms. Sakura’s. She felt her face. It was wet with tears. She wiped them away with her sleeves.

            “I know that was emotionally draining for you,” Ms. Sakura admitted, “Take your time. Tell me what you’re thinking.”

            “Well…I…I mean, I find it hard to take. All of these memories from all these different places are overwhelming.”

            Ms. Sakura nodded.

            “I wish I could change what had happened to you…and everyone else.”

            “The past cannot be changed,” Ms. Sakura said, “All we can do is take what we’ve learned from the past to make decisions in the present and shape our own futures. I’m sorry that your life is built by my own desires, young Sakura. In essence, I’m no different from Clow.”

            “Well…I suppose that’s true, but…I don’t think you’re like Clow.”

            Ms. Sakura seemed surprised.

            “He’s trying to recover the past, but you’re trying to make your own life. I know I’m not really you, but…we’re alike. I mean…I suppose I wouldn’t exist without you, and I wouldn’t have met such nice people like Kero, or Yue, or Yuuko, if it weren’t for you. So…thank you.”

            She really was like Ms. Sakura as a young girl.

            “I know what I need to do,” Sakura told her, as she got up from her spot under the cherry blossom tree.

            “I have a feeling I need to wake up now, so…I suppose I should say goodbye for now,” Sakura said, and Ms. Sakura smiled up at her. Before she waved goodbye, Sakura embraced her original self tightly, and Ms. Sakura returned the hug. As they hugged, Ms. Sakura shrunk a little, and when Sakura looked at her again, her original self now looked like her ten-year-old self in her Tomoeda school uniform, her eyes teary but her smile wide and hopeful.

            “Goodbye, and good luck, Sakura,” Ms. Sakura said, in her currently younger appearance.

            With that, Sakura opened her eyes. She was in a hospital bed. She looked to the side to see Tomoyo running out of the room.

            “SHE’S AWAKE!”

* * *

            She had basically been in a coma. It had been several months since Sakura had passed out. In that time, Syaoran had disappeared, and no one could find him. Last time anyone found anything, it was during October, where a small village in Cambodia went up in flames. A student hunting a kishin there saw him for a brief moment before he vanished again.

            “There were several casualties that day,” Kid said, “We tried to find the souls of the ones that were killed, but we had no luck.”

            “Do you think he…ate them? The souls?” Liz asked.

            “If he did, he’ll become a kishin,” the new Lord Death frowned, “And we’ll have to put him on Death’s List.”

            Black«Star and Tsubaki came into Sakura’s hospital room to tell her all this. They would have to go find him and contain him. If push came to shove, Sakura would probably have to partner with someone else or simply have Kero and Yue. The plan was for Sakura to watch Angel, as Maka and Soul would go with Black«Star and Tsubaki to find Syaoran.

            And Sakura sat there as the adults made these decisions. She looked at Meiling and Tomoyo, who were as confused and somber as everyone else.

            “Wait!” Sakura cried out. The adults looked over at her.

            “It’s okay, Sakura,” Maka assured her, “We’ll handle it. You still need to recuperate.”

            “What I need is to go find my partner and fix this!”

            “We’ll go and take care of Syaoran. You kids need to stay here.”           

            “Well, what if he comes back here?”

            “Well, then, you can stop him here.”

            “That’s not the point! Who will be here to guard Meiling, Tomoyo, and myself, if you guys are off trying to find someone that you don’t have any idea where he is?!”

            “If he becomes to dangerous for you kids to handle, we need to take care of him before he finds you.”

            “He doesn’t want to kill me, right? He tried to kill Meiling!”

            “Don’t worry. We’re trying to figure out why he-”

            “I KNOW WHY HE’S DOING IT.”

            She finally had a chance to tell everyone what Ms. Sakura told her. Meiling and Sakura were two parts of Sakura’s soul. Syaoran was trying to unite the two into one piece, or rather, Clow was trying to do that through Syaoran in some way.

            “So that’s why the makeup of Meiling’s soul and her appearance have been changing,” Tsubaki thought out loud, “But why would Clow try to ‘reunite’ the two parts, as it were?”

            “I’m not sure,” Sakura admitted, “It may have to do with Ms. Sakura’s wish colliding with Clow’s.”

            Her glance turned over to her friends.

            “Meiling, are you okay?”

            Meiling looked like she was in shock. She was taking it all in, or at least trying to figure out how to take it.

            “Meiling?” Tomoyo cooed, “It’s okay. I know this is a lot to take in…”

            “Who…who the hell am I supposed to be?” Meiling choked, her hair now more auburn with streaks of black in it. One of her eyes was starting to turn green, Sakura noticed.

            “MEILING!” Tomoyo shouted as her meister bolted out of the room.

            It grew silent for a while.

            “That explains the changes in her appearance,” Tsubaki muttered, “I wonder if it’s Clow’s magic doing that though. You said that Ms. Sakura told you that Meiling has her own soul, but it only has bits and pieces of Ms. Sakura, right?”

            “Something like that,” Sakura nodded, “I think Meiling is a reincarnation of another version of herself, and in order to bring her here, Ms. Sakura needed to give a part of her soul and her own blood to Meiling.”

            “Why her blood?” Soul interjected.

            “It’s a blood of a Clow descendant,” Sakura explained, “Any part of her that’s genetically connected to Clow was from Ms. Sakura.”

* * *

            As Sakura looked up at the black orb in the sky that was the moon, everyone was trying to come up with a new plan: how to protect Meiling and Sakura, how to find Syaoran. It all felt like chaos.

            All Sakura knew was that she wanted to find Syaoran herself. She didn’t want the adults to have to resort to anything drastic. If it meant that Syaoran would have to be killed…

            Her chest got tight and she felt like crying. Somehow, she didn’t want to think about that. She wasn’t sure why he going out and supposedly killing innocent people, but she had to find him and stop him somehow.

            She felt something. The blood in her veins began to…vibrate? She looked down at her leg. Her calf, where Clow and those black things had stabbed her a year or so back, was starting to pulse, like a heart. The veins were black and looked like a star burst on her leg.

            She looked up again.

            The moon’s black encasement now had a white, glowing dot on it. It looked like some sort of eyeball floating above her. It stared for a moment, and Sakura disappeared in a burst of light.

* * *

            Sakura was now surrounded in a white light. She squinted for a while until her eyes adjusted. Looking around, she recognized this place somehow, and then she recognized a rubix cube like object.

            It was BREW. As she reached out to touch it, a hand appeared suddenly below BREW, making Sakura jump.

            “Please, don’t touch it,” a familiar voice told her, “I wouldn’t know how to deal with the situation if something happened to this.”

            The hand that was levitating BREW soon joined with an androgynous, pink-haired person that Sakura recognized. Their form-fitting robes were white, and a vertical third eye could be seen on their forehead. The person smiled at her warmly.

            “Crona?” Sakura asked.

            “It’s nice to see you in person, young Sakura,” Crona smiled brightly.

* * *

            “Where is she?!” Maka cried hysterically.

            “She’s right here, Bookworm,” Soul replied, holding up a very happy Angel. Maka took the small child into her arms before talking again, this time more calmly.

            “Seriously, where did Sakura go?” she said.

            “I may be able to answer that,” a velvety voice echoed into the room. The adults turned to see Yuuko Ichihara in a traditional Japanese kimono, the back of the obi shaped as butterfly wings. She had her usual pipe in her hand.

            “She didn’t go far, did she?” Tsubaki asked in a worried tone.

            “She’s looking for Syaoran,” she answered, and all of the adults groaned.

            “Great, we don’t even have a plan together,” Kid grumbled, “And Ms. Kinomoto is missing. This is just dandy.”

            “She probably wouldn’t be missing if you lousy teachers didn’t spend so long planning,” Yuuko muttered to a now angry Death God. She had her ears blocked as Kid railed into her and Liz and Patti tried to calm him down.

            “It will be fine,” Yuuko assured, “She’s in good hands. Maka’s good friend is helping her.”

            “Maka’s good friend?” Black«Star said, raising an eyebrow.

            Yuuko pointed her pipe at the moon above, and everyone understood.

            “Crona’s alive…” Maka thought out loud.

            She held Angel close to her as she cried. Everyone was by her side in an instant.


	44. Blood

 

 

AN: So yeah, Crona’s here! Let’s go find Syaoran. More ploooootttt….

* * *

 

            “You know me?” Sakura asked.

            “I brought your soul over to this world, as well as your friends,” Crona told her, “I know each one of you. I’ve watched each one of you. M-more as a guide! Not, like…in a creepy way.”

            “I getcha’. So…why did you bring here… _how_ did you bring me here?”

            “I promised the original Sakura I would help grant her wish. I can’t bring people in here unless there’s a purpose. I can’t really bring people here whenever I want to.”

            “Like if you wanted to bring Ms. Maka here, right?”

            Crona’s eyes looked sad despite the small smile on their face.

            “I promise,” Sakura nodded, “You’ll see her somehow. I just need to figure out how.”

            “I wanted to talk about that,” Crona spoke again, “In order to bring anyone here, the frequency of madness that’s here must be equal to the person breaking the barrier. At least, that’s how it’s supposed to be. I fed on the frequency of black blood in your body.”

            Crona pointed to Sakura’s left leg. The starburst black blood vessels were still visible.

            “You got that when those travelers visited,” Crona noted.

            “This is…black blood?” Sakura gasped, “I thought it was just the madness that everyone else was experiencing. I thought this black blood didn’t exist anymore!”

            “It’s not supposed to. There are only two people that’ve broken into this moon’s barrier. One of them was the original Sakura in her state of limbo. The other…”

            “Clow Reed…right?”

            Crona nodded.

            “Should’ve guessed.”

            “You should find your partner and destroy the hold Clow Reed has on him. If his actions continue, your friend, Meiling, could die, your souls will unite, and the result would be…”

            “Be what?”

            “Meiling’s soul, by becoming more like yours, makes it powerful enough to turn you into a kishin yourself. All you would have to do, after being fed Meiling’s soul, is swallow your weapon. Since you’ve had four weapon partners in total, you would have to swallow all of them.”

            “Does that mean that…Clow plans to kill them?”

            “He intends on using Syaoran to kill them. The guilt will be enough to drive him deeper into madness. If need be, Clow may have him kill you. All of you will merge and become a kishin…powerful enough to…to destroy this universe.”

            “If that happens, Sakura won’t have her wish granted.”

            “It’ll be a never-ending battle to see if Clow or the original Sakura will have their wish granted.”

            “Sakura wants to have a life free from Clow’s involvement, one where she’s no longer tied to fate. But Clow can’t bring Yuuko back unless he has that small connection to Sakura and the time paradox of those travelers.”

            Crona nodded.

            “So I need to stop Syaoran before he can gather any more innocent souls or try to kill any of my friends…but I don’t know where he is. No one does.”

            Crona smiled gently.

            “I do,” they said warmly, “That’s the other reason I brought you here. I can send you straight to him from this place.”

            Sakura’s face lit up.

            “In order to stop him, however, you will have to use the black blood in your veins. Since you have an Anti-Demon wavelength like Maka, you should be able to use the black blood to your advantage rather than have it control you. It’ll also help in…bringing Maka here. You’ve used your wavelength to control the madness in you and your partner, right?”

            Sakura nodded.

            “Good, then I won’t have to keep you here for too long. Listen carefully.”

            Sakura did so as Crona told her about the powers and dangers of the black blood.

* * *

            Tomoyo found Meiling on the roof of the DWMA near one of the main balconies. Despite the large skirt of her dress, as was typical of the many outfits she wore for school and other things, she was able to join Meiling and sat next to her meister. Meiling sat with her face in her knees.

            “I’m glad I was able to find you,” Tomoyo said with relief.

            Meiling stayed silent. Tomoyo continued talking.

            “It’s weird hearing that you used to be someone else, isn’t it? I can relate. I mean, I used to be Ms. Sakura’s best friend, and now…now I’m a demon weapon and I’m Sakura’s best friend _and_ I’m…I’m happier here. I don’t…have to shut my feelings in anymore to make my friends happy. We’re…in this new universe to make our lives better.”

            “Please don’t assume _why_ I’m upset, Tomoyo…” Meiling finally spoke.

            “Very well,” Tomoyo responded, “How are you feeling right now?”

            “Like…I shouldn’t even be here. I mean…I wouldn’t be here if it wasn’t for that other Sakura or whatever. I mean…am I really _me_? Or am I just…another Sakura?”

            They were silent for a while, not because Tomoyo was at a loss of what to say, but because she wanted her friend to know she was listening. She put an arm around Meiling’s shoulder and rubbed it comfortingly.

            “You are you, Meiling,” Tomoyo said, “You can’t be another Sakura. You have the…original Sakura’s blood or whatever it was, but…your soul is your own. You are you like I am myself. I…may have been a different Tomoyo…or at least the original Tomoyo, I guess, but…I’m not her. I can only be the me that exists here, in _this_ universe. Even I’ve told myself that I’m not supposed to be in this universe. I don’t think _any_ of us are supposed to be here, but we _are_ , and I suppose we should make the most of what we’re given.”

            Meiling started crying again, and she let her head fall on Tomoyo’s shoulder. Soon, she was in Tomoyo’s arms, hair stroked by warm, gentle hands. Something about this felt right, but Meiling couldn’t pinpoint what it was.

            Then they heard something like a canon going off, and they looked up. Something black shot out of the black orb around the moon like a shooting star. It seemed to land somewhere in the distance, but not close enough to see _where_ it landed.

            Meiling and Tomoyo looked at each other, baffled, before getting off the roof to go see what it was.

* * *

            Sakura left Crona’s domain shooting out like a rocket towards where Syaoran would be. She felt like she was flying in a black veil that glittered like a starry night before she started plummeting to the ground. Despite knowing several forms of magic at this point, she wasn’t sure how to stop herself from falling. At the speed she was going, all she could do was brace for impact.

            She crashed like a meteor into the ground, leaving a small crater in the surface she landed in. She looked to see that it was marble. Amazingly, she wasn’t in pain. No broken bones. No cuts or bruises. All that was on her was dust from the impact, which she brushed off her clothes and shook out of her hair.

            She looked below where she crashed to see that the blackness that shrouded her was liquid now, melting into the crushed marble. It was the black blood from the moon.

            She remembered Crona saying that the blood could harden like a protective shield or a weapon. If she could give in to the madness for a short while, she could resonate with Syaoran’s current state.

            After looking around her, she recognized that she was inside a church. She looked above her to see that she had burst through the ceiling. Behind her were the doors to the church. She walked up to them and gave them a push. They didn’t open.

            “The doors only open inwards,” a familiar voice said behind her.

            She turned around to see the church cover in bright blue crystal. They looked like ice, but the room was strangely warm. Souls were encased inside, and near the alter, Syaoran was also encased in a human-shaped crystal, attached to the other crystals around them.

            Sakura went from being shocked to being serious. She walked towards him, summoning her Star Wand and gripping it in her hands.

            Huh…nice decorations, Syaoran,” Sakura started jokingly, “The souls make the crystals all…glowy.”

            “Why are you here?” he interjected.

            “You need to come back home…well…back to the DWMA.”

            “And what exactly will happen when we get there?”

            “I dunno yet…but we’ll figure something out.”

            “I’m on Lord Death’s list now, aren’t I?”

            “NO! No…not yet…I don’t think. There’s still time to fix this.”

            “I’m already absorbing them. Every time I’ve tried to eat one, I get sick. I can absorb more power this way. Soon, it’ll happen. I need to get stronger.”

            “No, you don’t, Syaoran!”

            “I need to be stronger. As strong as you. I’m not strong enough to be your weapon partner.”

            “That’s not true!”

            “You have Cerberus and Yue now. You have your own power. You don’t need me.”

            He seemed to be saying these things like a chant. The crystal around him cracked and shifted into a new shape. The crystal fogged inside, obscuring Syaoran from her view. All she could see was a crystallized monster in front of her. It stood on four limbs like a gorilla but it’s face was more like a wolf’s.

            It was time to use the black blood.

            Sakura ran over to the crystals off to the side, as her opponent struck the place where she previously stood.

            She found the sharpest looking crystal in the cluster and sliced the palm of her left hand against it.

            There was sting in her hand, and she soon saw herself in a familiar dark room with checkerboard tile.

* * *

            “Hello,” a voice called.

            It sounded too familiar. She turned around to see herself. Her left eye was red and crying black blood. Her smile was broad and her clothes rather risqué.

            “You need my help, right?” she cooed.

            “Only for a short while,” Sakura said firmly, “When I need out, you let me out.”

            “I make no such promises. C’mon…you don’t need to think right now. Give in to me.”

            “Just for a little while.”

            “Yes…just for a little while.”

            She grabbed her doppelganger’s hand, and her mind sunk into inky darkness.

* * *

            The pink in the Star Wand was replaced with white silver. The star changed to black. Sakura’s hand healed immediately.

            And then, she just started giggling.

            Her speed increased, and she bounced around the walls like the church was a pinball machine. Soon, she struck the crystal monster. Her hand was on fire. She looked down for a short moment to see her knuckles bleeding.

            “Hehehe…oh look, m’blood’s black,” she said, a grin smacked onto her face. The color in her eyes was gone. All that was left was darkness, her sight blind to reason. She struck with her magic against the glistening rock repeatedly. It started to break away, and she got closer to getting to Syaoran.

Inside her mind, she hunted for his soul wavelength. It had been so long, she realized, since she resonated with him. She felt it faintly. It was definitely different from what she could tell, and not in the best of ways. It felt scorching hot, but it was encased in an icy crystal. It was not different from his physical situation.

            As soon as she grabbed it, she forced a resonance on it.

            She heard him scream.

            The crystal monster around him shattered, and she propelled backwards into the church door. She needed to pull herself out of the madness now. She forced her hand to grab the small deck of Star Cards she had left. She slowly pulled one out as Syaoran shook his confused head.

            “VOID!”

            An inky blackness left her throat and out her mouth into the air. It swirled around into an orb that soon encased her, then Syaoran, the crystallized souls, and finally the church.

            It wasn’t long until the DWMA detected a strong wave of madness at the St. Maria Novella Basilica in Florence, Italy.

* * *

            She had panicked. Now, The VOID’s black orb surrounded her and a large space around her. It felt like she was somewhere else, no longer inside the church.

            She looked down at her Star Wand. The black color on the star was dripping away and changing back to gold.

            She was somehow out of the madness. She felt a familiar soul wavelength. Syaoran stood in front of her, but his eye was still bright blue. Scratches on his faces showed his blood was currently black. It clotted and started being absorbed in the bits of crystal on his face. She saw the small black dots vanish into the crystals, as he got closer.

            Then, he turned his attention to the void around them. Sakura looked around as well, seeing that pulsing lights began the glow. Looking closer, the lights were actually souls. Sakura guessed they were the ones Syaoran was trying to absorb beforehand. Her hypothesis seemed to be an appropriate guess as Syaoran walked towards the blinking souls. He thrust a fist into the black void and tried to grab one of the souls. However, the blackness around him only drained him of his magic, and he felt his soul almost leave his body. He pulled out his arm immediately and turned back to Sakura.

            “What did you do?” he asked her angrily.

            Sakura was startled but immediately grew stern.

            “I only did what I had to,” she spoke, “You can’t get power like this, Syaoran! It’s not right! It’s…it’s not something I think you’d ever do.”

            “I suppose things change in a year.”

            He had a point, to an extent. It had been a year. Changes happened, and she had been asleep. She looked at her Star Wand again and grimaced.

            “Get rid of this…thing,” he commanded, “Give these souls back.”

            “They were never yours to begin with,” she gritted through her teeth.

            “Give them back, Sakura. I need them.”

            “No, you don’t.”

            “Give them back.”

            “NO!”

            They stared at each other. While Sakura looked sad and pleading, Syaoran showed no emotion on his face.

            “Very well,” he said, “I will find a new way out of here. I will have to gather new souls.”

            He turned around and walked away. Sakura reached out but then hesitated. She didn’t know what to do at this point. They were stuck in here, and she needed to stop him somehow before he could find a way out.

            “ _He won’t be able to escape_ ,” a voice in her head told her.

            It sounded like one of the spirits of Clow. She looked down at the surface she was standing on, and she saw a reflection that wasn’t her own. It was The VOID.

            “ _Don’t speak with your lips right now,_ ” VOID instructed, “ _Use only your thoughts._ ”

            Sakura nodded.

            “How would I leave here?” Sakura asked the young spirit telepathically, “And what is this place?”

            “ _If you wish to escape here, you will have to use the Nameless Card in your pouch. It will transfigure my spirit, and anything in this space will be released. However, my previous master, the one you called Ms. Sakura, instructed me to not let this happen until the appointed day when you fight against Clow Reed for the last time._ ”

            “But why?”

            “ _Despite Ms. Sakura’s wish to have a life free from Clow Reed, this does not mean she herself will live that life. The price for getting rid of Clow Reed was to create life in a new universe. In order to create life, you must give life. I am a chamber to hold souls such as these, and when Clow disappears, I will release them. They will be the given price for your existence._ ”

            “Ms. Sakura… _knew_ these souls would be in here?”

            “ _She didn’t say there would be these. She referred only to the four you would capture as well as herself._ ”

            “Four?”

            “ _The Syaorans and Sakuras from another universe_.”

            Sakura soon realized that was why Sakura needed her to capture their souls that day. She would need to ask about some of these later with Ms. Sakura.

            “ _What you need to know now is that the Nameless Card is Ms. Sakura’s feelings for Syaoran. If you want to escape from here and place me back in the card again, you must display a sign of affection that emulates Sakura’s feelings for her most precious person._ ”

            “A…sign of affection? That’s it? But how can I do that if he won’t even…”

            “ _You must get rid of the crystal infecting this world’s Syaoran. Your Syaoran._ ”

            “He’s not m…Anyways, I get it. I just wish I knew how Clow made that crystal…”

            Before she finished her thought, she saw blue sparks of magic off a ways. When she squinted, she saw streams of magic in the shape of some sort of Sanskrit. She recognized it. It was Fye D. Flourite’s power.

            “The crystal…it must’ve been the blue of Fye’s eye,” Sakura thought, “That person from Acid Tokyo should’ve had it. Clow must’ve gotten it from him somehow.”

            She saw a burst of flame in the distance and then it stopped. Syaoran appeared before her again instantaneously, his expression still stoic but showing more anger.

            “I’ve done everything I could do,” he said, “There is no way out. You did this. Fix it.”

            “I can’t let you out of here,” Sakura snapped, “You’re not getting any more souls.”

            “Then give the ones here to me.”

            “Not happening.”

            “I need to become stronger…. I must get rid of people that get in my way.”

            Using his newfound magic, he summoned his golden katana, adorned in flame etchings and bound at the hilt inside the scabbard with a purple tassel. He drew the sword and flames danced with the movement of the blade. Sakura was shocked, if not impressed.

            “You…have your own weapon now,” she commented. With her soul wavelength, she saw it was like her Star Wand. It had no soul of it’s own, but it had magic that could amplify one’s soul wavelength.

            “I must warn you again,” he commanded, pointing his sword at her, “Give these souls back to me.”

            Sakura instantly got an idea. She didn’t know if it would work, but she didn’t have much time to think it through.

            “Wait!” she began, “If you’re going to try and kill me, shouldn’t I…get a chance to fight for my survival? Maybe?”

            Syaoran raised an eyebrow.

            “I…I want to get out of here as much as you do. So…why don’t be duel to see who will get out of here?”

            He lowered his sword a little.

            “We’ll have a sword fight, and whoever wins will get something in return.”

            “What could you possibly give me?”

            “If you win…you get this.”

            She held up the Nameless Card.

            “This is the key to getting out of here. If you use it, it’ll release you from this place and the souls trapped inside.”

            The VOID’s reflection looked concerned, but Sakura gave her a look of reassurance. Syaoran didn’t seem to notice. His eyes were transfixed on the card in her hand.

            “And what if you win?” he asked.

            “I get the crystal infecting your soul,” she said, pointing to his chest. He put his hand to it.

            “You see it?”

            Sakura nodded.

            “What good would this crystal do for you?”

            “Well, it certainly makes things harder for you later, like taking away this card would be for me. It seems like a fair trade, don’cha think?”

            Syaoran seemed to think for a moment, and then sheathed his sword.

            “Very well. Your sword then?”

            Sakura lifted her Star Wand up into the air. She closed her eyes, summoning her magic circle. The wand turned into a sword, an image from a Clow Card long released into the afterlife a while back. It was a thin blade, the hilt adorned with white wings and a gold star, much like the Star Wand. The handle was pink and textured so as to not slip out of her hand, and a red jewel graced the end.

            She pointed the sword at him.

            “I’m sure this will do?” she said.

            “Yes,” he answered, drawing his sword once again.

            “Magic is allowed,” she added.

            “The loser is the one that lets go of their weapon first.”

            “Just like when we practiced.”

            Her mind flashed to when he was teaching her how to wield a sword. They would duel to test each other’s skills. It would be just like that.

            She tried to use that to calm herself before having to fight her weapon for real this time.


	45. Rush

AN: After this, there will be seven chapters left. Six regular ones and an epilogue. It’s tough writing this particular section mostly because it’s the moment I’ve wanted to built up to. And soon, we’ll be reaching the finale. We’re not there yet, but we’re close.

* * *

            She wished she didn’t have to remember such good things at a stressful time like this. It might make fighting Syaoran even more difficult.

            _“Let’s go over the basics,” he told her, “Like the way we’ve practiced.”_

_Sakura held the wooden jian in her hands._

_“Strike down.”_

_She did so against the wooden dummy in front of her._

_“Left.”_

_She hit the left side of the dummy._

_“Right.”_

_She hit the right side._

_“You’re bending too far forward again. Stand straight.”_

_She arched back a little._

_“Sorry,” she said apologetically._

_“It’s alright,” he assured her, “Try again.”_

_He proved to be a pretty good teacher. Soon, they were using the wooden swords on each other. She mouthed the moves to herself when she was first learning._

_“Parry. Parry. Thrust. Parry. Left. Parry. Parry. Right. Block.”_

_Soon, she stopped doing this when one day she discovered Syaoran was using this to predict her moves. She sat on the floor, defeated and sweaty._

_“You can read my lips?!” she cried, “You cheater!”_

_“I gotta use my opponent’s weakness against them,” he chuckled, and he held out his hand to her._

            She didn’t need to mouth the moves now as she struck the metal of her rapier against his katana.

            Parry. Parry. Right. Block. Parry. Jump.

            He blasted fire from the blade of his sword, and she blocked it with an invisible shield she summoned with a wave of her hand.

* * *

            Soul and Maka rode on a motorcycle down the road to Florence. Tomoyo and Meiling flew overhead.

            “You sure you can handle visiting there again?” Soul asked his wife, sitting behind him.

            “I’m sure,” Maka affirmed, “Even if I wasn’t, protecting that girl comes first. We have to protect these kids.”

            Soul nodded.

            She rested her head against his back and relaxed. The black dome ahead of them grew larger in perception as they got closer.

* * *

            Their fight seemed to stop for a moment. Neither of them had dropped their sword, but they were both sweating profusely and panting like dogs.

            Sakura held herself up with her sword. Her leg was pulsing, the black blood spider veins waiting to burst. Syaoran’s bright blue eye flickered like a light bulb ready to go out.

            Soon, they were at it again. It was like a dance. Every foot placement was precise. Every swing of their weapons was forceful, but elegant. Lethargy started creeping into Sakura’s body, but she continued to push through it.

            Suddenly, Syaoran grabbed her wrist. Before he could make a move with his sword, she kneed him in the ribs. He struck through the air with his arm, a black blood starburst showing under his skin. She blocked the strike with her bad leg.

            The black blood in their veins pulsed, and they both felt like the air was punched out of their lungs.

            Sakura tumbled and rolled away, her sword still in her hand. She crouched on the ground as she prepared a spell she learned from him ages ago.

            “ _GODS OF THUNDER! ANSWER MY CALL!_ ” she cried, and lightening left her fingertips.

            Syaoran summoned a ring of magical Sanskrit-like writing and blasted fire from the ring. The fire and lightening collided.

            They were evenly matched.

            Syaoran’s eyes grew brighter and brighter, increasing the fire coming towards Sakura, and she tried amplifying her soul wavelength.

            She tried resonating with whatever piece of Syaoran’s soul she could latch onto, but that only made him flinch, rejecting the wavelength.

            The lightening struck him, and he collided with the ground. She leaped with what little strength she had and pinned him down, stabbing her sword into the ground right near his face.

            They panted for several minutes, and Sakura laughed nervously, realizing they were doing this while she was on top of him.

            “I…won…” she said at last.

            He was silent for a moment and then.

            “I still have my sword in my hand,” he noted.

            Sure enough, he did. He reached up with his other arm, grabbing her hand that was on the hilt of her sword.

            He forced her to tumble over, and now, he was on top of her.

            “I’ve won,” he said.

            “I had you pinned first!” she said, “That’s not fair!”

            For a moment, she forgot the sword in his hand was real. They were in the dojo, practicing. He did this before.

            _“You cheated!” she cried._

_“I still had the sword in my hand,” he smirked._

_“I had you pinned first!”_

_He soon realized that their position was…questionable, and he got off her, his face bright red._

            He didn’t get off this time. He had her pinned. She’d failed. He’d get the Nameless Card. She had to think of something else.

            “Hand me the card, like you promised,” he told her.

            She smiled sadly and shook her head.

            “If you want the card, you have to kill me first.”

* * *

            “Isn’t that where the basilica is supposed to be?” Tomoyo’s voice echoed from her weapon form in Meiling’s hands.

            “This is it,” Maka told them, “It’s just…covered.”

            The black dome engulfed the church as well as several buildings next to it. Soul walked up to it, transforming his arm into a blade. He stabbed through the dome.

            He felt his soul leaving his body, and he immediately pulled his arm out.

            “There’s no cutting through it,” he grumbled.

            “Then, what do we do?” Meiling asked, anxiously.

            “We might just have to wait until they come out,” Maka said, both anxious and annoyed at the situation.

            “That could take forever!” Meiling whined, as Tomoyo returned to her human form.

            “Don’y worry, Meiling,” Tomoyo assured her, “I’m sure they’ll be out of there soon, and this thing will be long gone.”

            “I sure hope so,” Maka said, nodding.

            And so, they waited.

* * *

            Syaoran looked somewhat surprised by what Sakura said.

            “We had a deal,” he said, “If I won the duel, you’d give me the card.”

            “You have to kill me anyways, don’t you?” she asked, “You have me pinned. I lost. I’m not going anywhere. You might as well kill me while you have the opportunity. I mean…if you just got the card and left me be, I’d just get in your way later.”

            She heard a voice similar to hers. It was Princess Sakura.

            “ _What are you doing?!_ ” she cried inside Sakura’s head.

            “ _Trust me,_ ” Sakura assured her telepathically, “ _If this is anything like when you protected your Syaoran from his cloned self, I’ll be alright._ ”

            Syaoran hovered over her, looking somewhat conflicted.

            “You need to get stronger, right?” she continued, “Go ahead.”

            She closed her eyes and relaxed every muscle in her body, waiting to see what would happen.

            Syaoran began to lift his sword, but he shook as he did so. The crystal ruling his mind seems to coax him into holding sword, ready to stab it downwards. And yet, something felt wrong about this. His body didn’t seem to want to cooperate.

            He struck down.

            The tip of the blade stopped just above her neck, at the dip of her collarbone. Sakura felt her breath catch in her throat and something like rain fall on her face.

            She opened her eyes.

            Syaoran was crying tears of black blood, but his face was as stoical as it was before.

            “I…can’t move,” his voice shook, “What are…what are you doing to me?”

            “I…nothing!” she answered earnestly. She felt relieved. Her guess was right.

            He dropped his sword to the ground and looked down at her. He touched his face, black blood now on his hands.

            “Why…” he murmured.

            “You can’t do it, can you?” she asked earnestly, “Your body won’t let you. You don’t really…want to kill me.”

            “No, that’s not…”

            “Your mind is telling you it would be the right thing to kill me, but your soul says it isn’t. It’s not something you would do.”

            “I’ve killed…so many…”

            “And yet, I’m special somehow. Because I’m your meister…and your friend.”

            Despite being straddled, Sakura was now able to sit up a little. She wrapped her arms around his torso, her head resting against his chest.

            “We’ve been together in so many other universes,” she said, “And even in those instances, you didn’t kill me then either. In instances when you did, I remember…seeing you cry.”

            Syaoran was stiff in her arms, and she gripped tighter.

            “You wouldn’t let me die. I know you. We’re partners. We always will be.”

            He quickly got off of her, and he walked away from her, shaking. The crystal on his face and his eye started burning.

            “ _You need to get stronger_ ,” a voice screeched at him, “ _Take that card from her! Kill her!_ ”

            “ _Who needs_ this _fool to get stronger?”_ another voice echoed, “ _Resonate with her. Fall into madness. Become one with her. I can make you stronger. Your blood is black._ ”

            At this point, he felt like his head was splitting. Black blood tears flooded from his eyes. The crystal burned the flesh on his face. He started screaming.

            Sakura was off the ground in an instant and ran towards him.

            She decided to try a technique she learned from Black«Star.

            She didn’t bother grabbing her Star Wand. She channeled her soul wavelength into her hand.

            “Sorry, Syaoran,” she said softly, “This might hurt for a second.”

            She slammed her fist into his back.

            “ _SOUL MENACE!!! SAKURA’S BIG WAVE!!!”_

            Her anti-demon wavelength slammed into Syaoran’s soul like a pick-up truck. The crystals on his face cracked before dissipating into the wave around them. Sakura felt herself fall backwards, and she landed on her bottom. Syaoran fell to his hands and knees, and the blue crystal that infected him fell from his eye.

            Sakura got up again and scuttled in front of her weapon partner.

            “Syaoran?” she cried, “Syaoran, are you okay? I’m so sorry. I didn’t…”

            She stopped. He seemed unresponsive. He just sat on his knees now, his arms at his sides. His face looked tired, and his eyes were pitch black, still flowing with black blood tears.

            “Syaoran…can you hear me?” Sakura asked softly, “Talk to me…”

            She held his face in her hands, wiping the tears from his face with her thumbs. She noticed that his face felt scruffy. He had bits of stubble on his face.

            His state didn’t change the longer she looked at him. Then, she remembered what VOID had told her.

            “… _If you want to escape from here and place me back in the card again, you must display a sign of affection that emulates Sakura’s feelings for her most precious person._ ”

            A sign of affection…

            She decided to hug him. He felt cold but soon became warmer the longer she held him. He felt bigger than she remembered. He had more muscle and his shoulders were broader. She had to wrap her arms around his torso, excluding his arms.

            Nothing happened. The darkness still enveloped them, and Syaoran was still in a catatonic state.

            She tried holding his hands next. They weren’t enormous, but they were definitely larger than hers. She looked up at him.

            No change.

            She wanted to cry. These were easy signs of affection, but they weren’t the “right ones.” Ms. Sakura considered the Syaoran of her world her most precious person. Weren’t these things that they did? Undoubtedly, but they were also signs of friendship. She needed to do something that seemed more concrete.

            She let go of his hands and placed one of her hands on her pouch.

            Her mind flashed a memory that wasn’t hers.

            It was Ms. Sakura’s.

            She was a prince in a play. Sleeping Beauty. Syaoran was playing Aurora, and Sakura tried not to giggle. The young Ms. Sakura went up to his bedside, ready to kiss him, and then it went dark.

            She understood. She was going to have to…

            Oh boy…

            She felt her face heat up. She’d always thought of him as a friend, but she never really crossed out the idea of being something more. Maybe it was because of the strange dreams she had and the black blood. Maybe it was because of fate. Maybe…

            All she knew was that Syaoran was an important person to her. She wasn’t sure if he was the _most_ important person to her, like her previous incarnations.

            She just wanted to get out of here. She wanted this darkness to disappear. She wanted her partner to move again. As she looked at his face, she wanted the color and light she used to see in his eyes come back.

            She felt her cheeks flush again, but she took a deep breath. Hopefully, he wouldn’t remember this.

            She grabbed his shoulders, pulled his close, and pressed her lips hard against his.

* * *

            Syaoran wasn’t sure what was happening. He wanted to move, but somehow he couldn’t. He felt like a wax statue. And then, he felt warm.

            Something warm wrapped around him, and he felt as if the wax was melting away. He felt a body pressed up against his. A girl’s. He felt her arms wrapped around his neck. She felt…soft lips pressed firmly against his own.

            He was confused, but it somehow didn’t bother him. His arms instinctually wrapped around her waist. He started kissing her back. He tasted something close to strawberries on her lips. His hand trailed up her back and tangled into her hair. It was soft and…very short.

* * *

            She had imagined this kiss being shorter than it probably was, but she felt so right being like this. She felt their bodies slowly lifting off the ground, and she could tell the space around her was lighter, even with her eyes closed.

            However, it seemed unimportant.

            She broke the kiss and opened her eyes. The darkness was gone. Syaoran’s forehead collided with her shoulder as their feet lightly touched the marble floor.

            “Syaoran?!” she said anxiously. He sighed into her shoulder, and her cheeks pinked. She realized his hands were on her hips. He lifted his head.

            He blinked and stared at Sakura for a moment before opening his eyes completely. He looked tired.

            “Where…where am I?” he mumbled.

            Sakura’s eyes lit up. He was back to normal.

            “SYAORAN!” she cried, and she hugged him tightly.

            He was confused, but he hugged her back.

            The doors of the church burst open.

            “SYAORAN! SAKURA!” Maka called out.

            The two let go of each other immediately, somewhat embarrassed, and greeted their friends.

            “I see you got rid of the dome,” Meiling mentioned to Sakura, who nodded.

            “What are you all doing here?” Syaoran asked, “I don’t…I don’t know what’s going on…”

            “You don’t remember anything?” Soul asked him.

            “Well…I remember…Eriol being in our living room, and he…reached towards my face. Then, it all went dark. Everything’s all…fuzzy…and my mouth feels weird…”

            He tasted strawberry chapstick.

            OH! Um…” Sakura interjected, “Are your…um…are your lips chapped? I got some chapstick in my pouch here…”

            “Uh…I guess?”

            She handed him the tube, and he looked at it. It was a cheap, girly thing, but he figured he had nothing to lose. His lips _did_ feel chapped. It smelled like strawberries.

            His mind flashed to the feeling of kissing the girl he couldn’t see. He looked at Sakura questioningly as he handed the chapstick back.

            “His memory might take a while to return,” Maka told them, “His body could be repressing what happened, or it might be shock from what happened to him. Sakura?”

            “Ah…yes?” she piped up, a little startled. She seemed dazed.

            “What did you do to get him back to normal like this?”

            She looked around. She saw some items on the ground. Her Star Wand and Syaoran’s newly-found katana were next to each other. The blue crystal from Syaoran’s eye was a few steps away. She ran and grabbed all of these, turning her wand back into the Star Key and placing it back around her neck.

            “I used Soul Menace, and this was what came out of Syaoran’s eye,” she said, holding the crystal up. Everyone looked at it. Syaoran’s right eye started to twitch.

            “We should give this to Yuuko,” Maka instructed, “Syaoran needs time to recuperate, and Sakura and the girls need to start training again.”

            “Wait…how…how long have I been…” Syaoran tried to ask, tripping over his words.

            “It’s been almost a year,” Soul said, “It’s September.”

            Syaoran froze. He felt his face. There was stubble there now. Amazing he didn’t grow a beard. He remember it being a few days after New Year’s when Eriol showed up and things went dark. He was seventeen then. He missed his eighteenth birthday then, and he missed Sakura’s.

            “I can’t believe I slept for that long,” Sakura admitted.

            “You…slept?” Syaoran asked.

            “Yeah…Eriol got to me too.”

            “And you’re okay?”

            “Oh, yeah. I’m fine. I’ll tell you everything when we get back home.”

            And that was the end of the conversation for the moment, as everyone headed back to Death City, Nevada.


	46. Kiss

AN: The kids are eighteen now. Things ought to get interesting. More interesting than they already are? Yeah. In a **NSFW** way? FO SHO!

* * *

            As Sakura rested back at her dorm, Syaoran had to visit Yuuko Ichihara. He stood in front of her, as she held out warm beverage he couldn’t identify. It smelled strange, but not terrible.

            “Drink this,” she instructed.

            He obeyed, taking the ceramic cup in his hand, and sipping a small bit. It tasted terrible.

            “I know,” Yuuko sighed, “Keep drinking it. The whole thing.”

            He begrudgingly put the cup back to his lips. Taking a deep breath, he gulped down the entire drink. He breathed through his mouth as he handed the cup back, hoping it would get rid of the taste.

            “That will help you sleep a little,” she told him, “It will get rid of any of the effects of that crystal in your body. It’ll also clear the gaps in your mind, helping you remember what you’re currently repressing. Tsubaki Nakatsukasa will bring you home.”

            Syaoran nodded, already feeling drowsy. Tsubaki came in.

            “Did he take it?” she asked. Yuuko nodded.

            “Okay, Syaoran-kun,” Tsubaki said soothingly, “Let’s get you home in a nice, warm bed.”

            As they left, Yuuko looked up at the moon.

            “You were very helpful, Child of Gorgon,” she breathed out with the smoke from her pipe, “Thank you.”

* * *

            Students reported seeing congealed blobs of black goo after defeating kishin that claimed to be followers of Clow Reed. They would bubble and boil from the kishin’s carcass after a weapon swallowed a soul. Then, they would attack the student.

            One by one, they all started to show scars that formed black, veiny bruises under their skin. They looked like a sunburst, just like the scars Syaoran and Sakura had.

            The madness spreading through Death City was starting to become an epidemic.

* * *

            She had so many questions, when she met Ms. Sakura under that cherry blossom tree again in her sleep.

            “I see you got him back,” Ms. Sakura sighed in relief, “I hope VOID was of help to you.”

            “She was, but…something came up,” Sakura told her.

            “The innocent souls of the people your Syaoran killed…”

            “Did you know about those? Did you know that…that he would…”

            “Kimihiro said that souls would have to be given up. I…I thought he only meant the other versions of Syaoran and myself. Now I…I knew it was coming when I forsaw what Clow would do with Syaoran. It was one of several possibilities.”

            “Possibilities?”

            “Seeing the future for events that happen in this world are tricky. It’s one of the few times I don’t know exactly what will happen. I end up seeing a number of outcomes for different actions. Based on what I’ve seen, there’s…there’s never really a right answer. It’s mostly a handful of choices that lead to favorable outcomes and the same for unfavorable ones.”

            Sakura looked down at the glassy floor.

            “Was there any way to change it?” she asked, “Anything that you could’ve told me that would’ve prevented this?!”

            Ms. Sakura looked incredibly sad.

            “We have the power to shape our own futures,” she finally told her, “And yet…there are still some things that can’t be changed.”

            Sakura wanted to cry, but something within her told her to take a deep breath and calm herself. Her mind cleared.

            “I guess we can only change what we can in the present,” she said.

            Ms. Sakura looked surprised.

            “You’re becoming a very wise young lady,” she smiled, eyes hopeful.

            “I learned from the best,” Sakura told her cheerfully, and she bopped a fist against her original self’s arm.

            They stayed silent for a moment to enjoy the cherry blossoms. Then, Ms. Sakura spoke again.

            “I saw that you got my small hint,” she chuckled, pointing at the young Sakura’s lips.

            Sakura blushed and hid her face in her hands.

            “Is wasn’t _that_ terrible, was it?” Ms. Sakura enquired, “You seemed…rather into it.”

            “I panicked!” Sakura shouted defensively, “I had to do it, or that blackness would’ve stayed or…whatever.”

            “You didn’t like it?”

            “It’s…it’s not that. It’s just…He’s one of my closest friends. I don’t want to overcomplicate things by telling him that I…”

            “You won’t have to. He’ll remember it. Just because he went catatonic doesn’t mean he can’t see.”

            “Fair point…. Does this mean I can talk to other people about this?”

            “Of course. Just be careful when you talk to Tomoyo about it tomorrow.”

            “You can see what will happen?”

            “No. I just know how Tomoyo gets about news like that.”

* * *

            Tomoyo squealed with excitement in the restroom. Sakura tried shooshing her so not make people think some perv snuck in or some nonsense.

            “So THAT’S how you made the dome vanish,” Tomoyo went on, “Oh…oh wow…”

            “Don’t tell _anybody_ this,” Sakura hissed, “Not even Syaoran. He’s still recovering some of his memory.”

            “I promise.”

            Sakura held out her pinkie, and Tomoyo sealed her promise.

            “Can I least tell Meiling?” Tomoyo pleaded.

            “Tell Meiling what?” a voice echoed as it entered the restroom. It was Meiling. Tomoyo told her the story. Meiling squealed as well.

            “Oh my DEATH, you two,” Sakura whined, covering her ears.

            “Sorry, sorry,” Meiling giggled, “We’re just super excited because of reasons.”

            Sakura looked confused but decided not to ask.

            “So…how was it?” Meiling asked, wiggling her eyebrows suggestively.

            “Oh, Meiling, it’s not nice to pry,” Tomoyo teased, “Though seriously…was it weird, Sakura? Or…”

            “Surprisingly…no,” Sakura admitted. Her mind flashed back to the memory, and she swore she could still feel it on her lips. She smiled without realizing it.

            “It was…nice…”

            She woke from her reminiscing to see Meiling and Tomoyo smiling wickedly at her.

            “Uh…what are you two smiling about?”

* * *

            The two had to catch up on piles of schoolwork. It was harder for Syaoran more than anything, because he wanted to do work, but the higher ups encouraged him to rest instead. His memories came back in small doses, and those were the moments he had to stop catching up on schoolwork. Sometimes, his memories of killing those innocent people woke him up at night, and Sakura ran in to calm him down.

            Sakura was more energized than ever, somehow getting her work done in half the time. It didn’t improve her grades, but it did give her time for more things.

            Both of them ended up doing work together. Syaoran noticed that Sakura was more touchy feely than she usually was. She would lean against him, drape some part of her body across him, or even sit in his lap.

He didn’t object, and eventually got used to it. It was nice feeling her soul wavelength so close to his, and it kept both of them warm as the weather got cooler.

Regardless, he still remembered the feeling of someone’s lips against his, and he wondered if it was Sakura.

* * *

            At the beginning of October, the last of his memories returned, and it confirmed what he had guessed but didn’t want to assume.

            His body was limp as Sakura held his hands, and she looked like she was about to cry. Then, she calmed herself and took a deep breath. It happened in a blink.

            She kissed him.

            His face was red as a cherry when he sat up in bed. Sakura had kissed him. The darkness around them disappeared, and The VOID had returned to being a card. Sakura had kissed him. It felt so nice that he collapsed his head onto her shoulder. He felt so happy then. Sakura had kissed him…and he didn’t really know why.

            He put that thought on hold, when he heard what he thought was a cry of distress from Sakura’s room.

* * *

**After** bringing Syaoran back, Sakura’s dreams in the Black Blood Room became more frequent. Not that she had ever  _stopped_ having those dreams. Nevertheless, it had been a while.

            She awoke with a pit of frustration in her stomach, and she wanted to scream. This always happened. She was close to the edge and then POOF. She was awake, and she couldn’t fall back asleep.

            She kept hearing those words in Syaoran’s voice.

            _“Only you can do this to me.”_

_“I only want to please you, Princess.”_

            She slammed her pillow on top of her face and let out a groan of annoyance. She didn’t want to be thinking of these things. She didn’t want to look at her friend in that way. At least, that’s what she always thought initially. It was just hormones.

            Her mind went back to when she kissed him. How nice it felt…and somehow, he kissed her back. She wondered if he would remember. A part of her hoped he wouldn’t. Too embarrassing.

            Still, her hand trailed down her stomach as she thought about it, and then she stopped herself.

            “No, I am NOT doing this again,” she told herself. She admitted. She touched herself to the thought of her and her weapon getting it on. No one ever knew.

            Maybe, it wouldn’t hurt to do it right now. He was probably asleep. Kero was asleep in one of the drawers under the television in the living room. It had been a while.

            She slid under the covers a bit more and put her hand down her sweatpants. She used her other hand to cover her mouth. She didn’t want to make any noise.

            Fingers slid into her panties, and her hand was in between her legs.

            “ _So wet already,_ ” a voice in her head purred.

            She slid two fingers inside before she could blink. There was no foreplay or buildup this time. From how intense her dream tonight was, it was foreplay enough for her.

            “ _You really want me so badly? Ah~ you make such cute faces when my hand’s inside you_.”

            She stifled a moan with her hand. It felt warm under the covers, and she ended up kicking them off. She rolled her hips and arched her back.

            “ _So good…_ ”

            It was difficult to move her hand more with her clothes still on. She used her free hand to get rid of her panties and sweatpants. All that remained was her T-shirt. The room felt warm, and her toes curled as she thrust her fingers harder into herself.

            “ _You gonna cum for me?_ ”

            She bit her lip hard, trying to hold back her moans of pleasure. She angled her hips so she could hit a certain spot on her inner walls.

            “ _You don’t need to hold back._ ”

            She couldn’t control the sounds out of her throat now. At this point she didn’t care who heard, even when she started moaning his name.

            “S-syaoran…Syaoran!”

            The door burst open.

            “Sakura?! What is it? What’s wroOHGOD!!!”

            Sakura yelped and grabbed her comforter.

            “GET OUT!” she cried.

            “SORRY!” Syaoran yelped, covering his face, “I’MSORRY! IDIDN’TSEEANYTHING! SORRY!”

            The door slammed shut.

            “What the hell’s going on?!” a tiny but tired voice yelled outside the door.

            “It’s nothing, Cerberus!” Syaoran told him urgently, “Go back to sleep!”

            Sakura sat up, covered in her comforter and her hair a mess, looking dazed and confused.

* * *

            It was a Saturday, thank Death, and the two of them had the whole day to be as awkward about the situation as possible. It started off simple.

            “So about last night…” Syaoran started.

            “It's alright,” she sighed, her cheeks red, “Let’s just forget about it.”

            “I didn’t see anything.”

            “I SAID WE CAN FORGET ABOUT IT.”

            They didn’t forget about it. They just didn’t talk about it for the next couple of hours. Around one o’clock, Kero left to go hang at Touya and Yukito’s place. He told them he couldn’t handle the weird tension over at Syaoran and Sakura’s place.

            The two of them busied themselves with other tasks. Sakura decided to do the laundry. Syaoran did dishes. She decided to watch TV. He decided to take a shower.

            He admitted to himself that he was lying. He did see something. It wasn’t much, but it was an outline of Sakura’s body in the dark. Her hand between her legs. He tried to force his memory to remember anything else, but that was about all he saw. It was enough to make him bothered, though.

            “ _Gonna ignore me again, sweetheart?_ ” a familiar voice sing-songed in his head.

He turned on the cold water.

            He didn’t think when he came out of the bathroom and into the living room in nothing but a towel around his waist. It was normal of him to walk around shirtless. He was just heading back to his room.

            He stopped to see what was on the TV, and then he looked over at Sakura.

            She was staring, and her face was red.

            “Um…the bathroom’s free…if you need it,” was all he could manage to say.

            She snapped out of whatever trance the view of him caused and nodded.

            He walked away, and for a moment he felt eyes on him as he closed the bedroom door.

            Sakura scuttled over to the bathroom and took a shower herself. The water was warm on her back.

            “ _Shall we continue where we left off?_ ” A voice in her mind asked. The black star scar on her calf pulsed.

            A fire lit in her belly, and her hand ran down her stomach as the water cascaded down her body.

* * *

            Dinner was ready when she got out of the shower. Despite gratifying herself, her leg was still pulsing. It started to twitch, and it was difficult to hold still as she ate at the table.

            “Kero’s still out?” she asked, trying to distract herself.

            “Yeah,” her partner answered.

            Brief, as always. He must’ve been really hungry. Then, she noticed his arm twitching. She saw it. A black, veined starburst graced his right forearm.

 


	47. Touch

AN: THE NSFW CONTINUES! We’re not done on that yet! Oh no, siree bob. Plot LATER. Smut NOW. Typing certain words is easier than saying them.

* * *

            They decided to watch something on late night TV. Nothing really great was on. They settled on a romantic drama. Not the best choice, but it was a better choice than the romantic comedy. It would, at the very least, be tolerable.

            Sakura was suddenly conscious of how close she was to Syaoran. She just had her head against his shoulder, but she decided to back away. There was now a noticeable gap. Syaoran felt the loss of contact and looked over at her.

            “You okay?”

            Sakura nodded.

            “Didn’t want you to be uncomfortable…” she lied.

            “I’m not uncomfortable. You’re fine.”

            He made a gesture to invite her to lean back on his shoulder. She scooted back over and sat straight up. Trying to relax again, she noticed he had his arm behind her, resting on the back of the couch. She let her headrest on the inside of his shoulder, and he put his arm around her.

            The twitching in her left calf wasn’t as bad when they were closer like this. She noticed that with his arm as well. Their marks still pulsed, however. She looked up at him. He felt warmer than he usually was.

            His face was red. His legs were crossed. Not in the usual way, where his calf would just rest on his knee. His thighs were crushed together. When he noticed her staring at his legs, he turned his legs away more, as if he were trying to hide his crotch.

            Oh…

            “Syaoran, you look uncomfortable,” she finally pointed out.

            “M’fine,” he lied.

            “Not with your legs crossed in a vice grip like that…”

            “It’s nothin’… I’m just a bit…tense??”

            “Would you like me to help?”

            He grabbed the pillow he was leaning on and pressed it into his lap.

            “That’s…I just need to ignore it…”

            “I can give you a shoulder massage.”

            He needed to get his mind out of the gutter. He sighed in relief.

            “Yeah…I…I’d like that.”

            She got up, and he saw what she was wearing. He recognized the shirt and shorts.

            “Is that my shirt?”

            Sakura looked puzzled then looked at her clothes.

            “This? I didn’t know whose it was. I just dug something out of the dryer. I guess I wasn’t paying attention. Sorry. I might’ve grabbed your shorts too. Oh wait…no these are…”

            “Those are my boxers…”

            He was going to die. His fingers dug into the pillow in his lap.

            “Oh gosh! Well…here, let me go ahead and give you that shoulder massage.”

            She got behind the couch and placed her hands on his shoulders, kneading into the tense muscles in his neck.

            He let his head fall forward and tried to relax. Focused on the feeling of her hands kneading the knots in his neck and the back of his shoulder. He let out a grunt as a knot came undone in his neck.

            “Gosh, you really _are_ tense,” he heard her say, and the tension left with every exhale he made. He focused on his breathing. He forgot about the pillow in his lap and let it drop to the floor. His legs uncrossed.

            “Feel better,” she asked, cheerily.

            “Yeeeeesssss,” he groaned in satisfaction, and she smiled. She looked at the TV.

            “I can’t fight this feeling, Stella,” the male love interest said dramatically.

            “Neither can I,” cried the female lead in an even more dramatic tone. The two characters embraced, and the orchestra played bombastically in the background.

            “Huh…what is even going on?” Sakura pointed out, “How long have these two known each other?”

            Syaoran made a noise that sounded like he said, “I dunno.”

            “Guess we can find something else to watch once I get this last knot out of your neck.”            

            He looked down at him, and something caught her attention at the corner of her eye. She looked over and noticed his uncrossed legs. There was a noticeable bulge in his sweatpants.

            She kneaded the last knot in his neck.

            “So that’s why you had your legs crossed,” she said, smirking a little.

            Syaoran tensed the muscles in his back and neck again and grabbed for the pillow. He didn’t bother crossing his legs. He just pressed the pillow there, hoping it would go away.

            “Shit…no, Sakura, it’s just…”

            “I know it’s not the movie doing that to you,” she said, as she leaped over the couch and plopped back in her seat.

            He was going to die of embarrassment. His face was like a ripe tomato.

            “How long have you been holding that?” she asked.

            This was NOT something he wanted to talk to her about. He wanted to crawl under a rock.

            “If…you need to…take care of that, I can wait here and channel check for a different movie.”

            “L’befine…” was all he could muster.

            “Syaoran, I…may not understand a lot about guys and whatnot, but…I know holding it like you’re going to pee isn’t a good idea. It’s not healthy.”

            “This has happened before,” he said firmly, “I just need to calm down.”

            “Seriously, how long have you been like that today?”

            He didn’t want to answer.

            “Syaoran…”

            She couldn’t decide if she was more worried or annoyed.

            “Iheardyouintheshower…” he mumbled.

            Sakura looked confused. She motioned to him that she didn’t hear what he said.

            “I HEARD YOU IN THE SHOWER.”

            Her lips pressed into a line and her face felt warm.

            “It…it was on accident,” he admitted, “I passed by the bathroom, and…”

            Sakura rubbed her face and let her hands rest at the back of her neck.

            “God…this day couldn’t get any worse…” he went on, “This has…I hate how awkward we’ve been all day. I just…wanted to chill and watch this shitty movie. Laugh the whole thing off. Guess I fucked that up. I…I’m sorry.”

            Sakura looked over at him then at the pillow. She was surprised that she caused such a reaction for him. Part of her was weirded out, but the rest of her felt…proud? She didn’t know the right way to phrase it.

            “Why my name…exactly?” he asked.

            “Huh?”

            “Last night…and, well, a little bit today, you…cried out… _my_ name. Why?”

            “I…”

            Guess she needed to tell him the truth.

            “I’ve been having…dreams, lately.”

            “Dreams?”

            “Yeah…not the usual ones, like the memories or the meetings with Ms. Sakura and whatnot. Like…actual dreams, and they’re all in the same place. There’s…a room with checkerboard tile, and…a person that kinda looks like you…. We were…dressed in black, and you…I mean he…”

            “He would _do_ things?”

            “Yeah…he…kissed me…t-touched me, and when I got…close to the edge, I would always wake up.”

            “You too…”

            “Hmm?”

            “You’ve been having the same dreams as me.”

            Sakura looked surprised.

            “I…keep dreaming the same thing, only…it’s a person that looks like you…doing those things to me…and…”

            His right arm twitched.

            “It’s the madness,” Sakura thought aloud.

            Syaoran looked confused.

            “All of the weapons and meisters at DWMA have been acting strange, right? They were all instances of interpersal…interper…”

            “Interpersonal?”

            “Yes! That. That kind of drama. Maybe, that’s why we’re having the weird dreams, and…this black blood could be amplifying it.”

            She lifted her leg and pointed at the starburst on her left calf.

            “This has been pulsing like crazy since we came back from Florence,” she went on, “I assume it’s the same with your arm.”

            He nodded.

            “Maybe…”

            She looked at the pillow and pointed.

            “Would you like me to help?”

            He blinked. He wondered if he entered a different dimension for a split second.

            “What?”

            “I could…Maybe, we could…relieve the tension…”

            “WHOA Whoa…you’re not suggesting…”

            “No, we don’t need to… _do_ it, but…we could just…you know…toucheachother…er”

            He had to blink again. His erection was crying YES PLEASE, but he pressed the pillow harder in his lap.

            “I mean…we don’t have to,” she said, “But…you should probably take care of that, and I can just channel flip while you…”

            He tugged on the sleeve of her shirt (or rather, _his_ shirt, technically).

            “No, I…I wan…”

            He couldn’t finish the sentence. However, Sakura felt a pull on her soul wavelength. Her leg and his arm twitched again. Their hearts jumped into their own throats.

            He pulled on her arm, and soon she was straddling his lap and freed his erection. She didn’t look at it, even if she wanted to. But she felt it. It twitched in her hand. It was stiff and veiny, but it was also soft. She gently brushed her palm and the tips of her fingers against it. He breathed heavily into her shoulder and dub his fingers into her shoulders.

            While her soft hands felt nice gently stroking him, he wrapped his hand around hers.

            “You can grip it harder,” he breathed, “It won’t hurt…. Here….”

            He guided her hand slowly at first, pumping his erection up and down. She gave a verbal sign that she understood, and he let go.

            His heavy breathing turned to soft moans as she continued to stroke him. She switched between her light touches from before and pumping his dick faster and faster.

            Considering how blue his balls must’ve been, it didn’t take him long to climax. His breath hitched, and his eyes squeezed shut. Some of his cum got on her hand, but the rest landed on the shirt he was wearing.

            Sakura didn’t move. She just stared at his face, her hand still on his member. He was in total bliss, and his sighs of pleasure made a smile creep up Sakura’s face. Without thinking, she kissed his lips, her hands sliding up to his shoulders. It felt just as nice, if not better, than the last time she kissed him.

            When the kiss broke, she looked at the messy hand she had on his shoulder.

            “Oh gosh, I’m sorry!” she said, panicking. Surprising to her, he chuckled a little.

            “It’s fine,” he assured, “I mean…my shirt’s already a mess.” She looked down as he tucked his dick back in his pants. And she started laughing along with him. She tried to stop herself and cover her mouth with her clean hand, but she couldn’t help herself.

            “Oh my God, it’s everywhere,” she giggled.

            Their giggles continued as he pulled his shirt off. He held out the wad of fabric to her.

            “Here,” he said, his laughs calming down a little, “Just wipe your hand off on this.”

            She took the offer and got the now sticky, white goo off her hand. Not really knowing what to do with it, she tossed it on the floor.

            Then, she didn’t know where to put her hands. She gazed at his chest, and her eyes trailed down to edge of his boxers, which were now visible above his sweatpants. She saw a trail of hair and bit her lower lip. Her hands settled on his shoulders, and her eyes looked back up at his face, realizing she’d been staring too long.

            “You okay there?” he asked.

            “Y-yeah…you’re just…you look…” she started. She noticed a familiar slickness between her legs.

            “I’m surprised that…you kissed me again.”

            “You remember me doing that?”

            “Yeah…it was…it was nice.”

            “Can I…Can I do it again?”

            His eyes darkened in lust.

            “As must as you want…”

            She pressed her lips to his again. They tilted their heads and opened their mouths as their kisses got more heated. He felt her tongue against his and returned the gesture. She had her body pushed up against his, grinding a little against his abdomen, as she moaned into his mouth. It was at that motion that he broke away from her lips and grabbed her waist to stop her.

            “You need some help?” he asked, pushing up the bottom of her shirt and tugging on the shorts that were his boxers. Her heart leaped, and she nodded shyly.

            He motioned her to get off his lap, and then he picked her up. She yelped then blushed as he carried her bridal style.

            “Your room or mine?” he asked. His voice seemed to drop down an octave, but it shook a little. He kinda hoped that sounded sexy. Maybe…

            “Mine,” she cooed. Well, _she_ certainly sounded sexy. He needed to be careful, or he was going to get hard again.

            The door was already open to her room, thank God. All he had to do was kick it closed behind him.

* * *

            The pairs of boxers and panties she had on were on the floor in an instant. She didn’t want him to look at her sex, just like she didn’t look at his. However, he wasn’t sure if he could do this right, if he  _didn’t_ look. He supposed he should just feel for the right spots. Of course, when his hand touched, all he could feel was that she was warm and sufficiently aroused.

            He ran a finger down her slit and then spread her lips apart. He remembered something about a bundle of nerves just above the entrance. He tried to visualize the picture in that book he found once at the bookstore. His middle finger brushed against a small bud. Her body jerked against his hand, and she let out a surprised squeak.

            “There?” he murmured.

            She nodded urgently.

            He decided maybe to press and rub it gently first, and Sakura sighed happily, her hips rolling to a slow, physical rhythm. As he applied more pressure, little by little, she hummed at every stroke against her swollen clitoris. The hums soon turned moans, and she gripped the comforter.

            “F…Faster…” she managed to say, and he obliged. He moved his finger in a circular motion and then back and forth. That seemed to do the trick because her voice rose in pitch, and her back arched. He focused on the act of moving his hand correctly, but he wanted to take in the face she was making. Her eyes were tightly shut and her mouth agape. She kind of looked like she was in pain for a moment.

            He stopped.

            Her face relaxed, and she opened her eyes, looking confused.

            “Why did…why did you…why’d ya’ stop?” she breathed out.

            Crap, he messed up.

            “You…you looked like you were in pain…or I…well…shit…”

            “Nonono, it’s okay,” she cooed, “Here.”

            She took his hand and put it back on her sex. She was still wet, probably more so than before. She pressed one of his fingers at her entrance, and he seemed to understand what she wanted.

            He plunged his middle finger inside her, and she groaned. It felt strange to him. Her inner walls were constricting around his finger with every roll of her hips. He started to slowly thrust his hand in sync with her hips. When he picked up speed, she asked him to put in another finger.

            Nervously, he obeyed, his middle and pointer finger now inside her. Her brows furrowed, and she let out a groan of approval. The inner muscles constricted tighter around his fingers, which glided in and out easily. It was joined by some wet, slapping noises, as he moved his hand faster. Then, she looked like she wanted to say something.

            “Syaoran…could you, maybe, try…um…try this?” she asked sweetly, as she made a come-hither gesture with her finger. He seemed confused.

            “Your…fingers…make this motion,” she said, “Inside me…”

            Oh. He got it.

            He curled his fingers inside her and stroked the top of her inner walls. It pressed a certain place, and a wave of pleasure spread through her body.

            She made a noise he wasn’t sure was good or bad, and he was scared he did something wrong until she spoke again.

            “Do that again,” she said, in a voice just above a whisper.

            He curled his fingers again, and her voice got louder. He repeated the motion slowly, over and over. Her voice filled the room, and it was all he could hear, until she covered her mouth.

            “You okay?” he asked.

            “DON’T STOP,” she begged, slowly letting her hand fall away from her mouth. Her eyes looked at his desperately in the naturally lit room.

            “ _Please_ …don’t stop…”

            He felt a pull on his soul wavelength, and his chest tightened. It felt unreal, that she was letting him do this. He held her hand with his free hand and kissed her on the lips. She moaned into his mouth and used her free hand to pull her shirt up, exposing her torso. When he broke away, he saw her bra for a split second before trailing kisses down her cheek to her jaw and staying at her neck.  

            He started going faster with his hand, thrusting his fingers against the spot she liked. She gripped his free hand harder. Her thighs clenched, and she angled her hips so he could hit the spot better.

            “Sha…sya…’m so close…” she managed to say, her moans going higher in pitched. Seeming to understand her queue, he nibbled and sucked at her neck, which made the pleasurable waves intensify. Their free hands were laced together tightly like a vice. She had her other hand in his hair and her chest pressed up to his when her back arched.

            Suddenly, her inner walls clenched and spasmed, and her climax made her see stars. His hand stopped moving, and he pulled his fingers out. As she tried to catch her breath, he looked down at her face. Her cheeks were flushed and her auburn hair splayed around her head like a halo. A smile graced her lips.

            He touched his forehead to hers and let go of her hand. When her eyes opened, she grabbed his face and kissed him gently.

            Then, she blinked a moment, coming back down from her high. She pushed him up gently.

            “Well…that was…you should probably clean your hand up,” she remarked, pointing at his two messy fingers.

            “Ah…yeah…” he nodded, rubbing the back of his neck with his cleaner hand. He looked at the mixture of clear and white on his hand. Curiosity struck and he put the fingers to his lips. When Sakura looked over and saw this, she was taken aback.

            “Wh-What are you doing?” he squeaked, face turning red again. She didn’t want to admit that it was gonna turn her on if he licked his fingers clean, but she looked away, biting her bottom lip. Syaoran thought he grossed her out.

            “Sorry! Nothing! I was just…I’m gonna go clean up!”

            He ran out of her room and shut the door, escaping to the bathroom and turning on the sink. He looked down at his fingers again. There were some guys that bragged about eating a girl out, and there were others that found it gross. He didn’t know which part of the spectrum he’d fit, but he’d be lying if he said he didn’t want to try.

            He gave a tentative lick and then threw his hand under the faucet. It wasn’t bad, just a little salty with a hint of bitterness to it. It smelled musky and his face pinked.

            Once he threw his shirt and any other messy articles of clothing into his hamper, he grabbed a clean shirt. Then, he decided to go to her room again.

            He knocked on the door. No answer. He creaked the door open and went inside.

            She was asleep. His boxers (that she was wearing) and her panties were still on the floor. Not wanting to leave the room a mess, he picked them up off the floor and threw them in her laundry basket.

            When he walked to her bedside, she stirred and opened her eyes.

            “Sorry, didn’t mean to wake you,” he said.

            “Y’r fine,” he said sleepily, “Come here.”

            She patted an empty place on her bed. His eyes widened.

            “You want me to…”

            She nodded.

            He shyly walked over to the other side of the bed and got under the covers. He saw she was still wearing his shirt.

            “I got up and put on a fresh pair underwear, so I’m covered,” she giggled.

            “Ah…that’s good,” he nodded, “It’d suck to be cold down there.”

            “I was thinking more in terms of you wouldn’t have to worry about getting a flash of my gross vagina or anything.”

            “It’s not gross. It’s…well…”

            “You didn’t see it, so you don’t get an opinion.”

            “I _did_ touch it though. If I thought it was gross, I wouldn’t have liked touching it.”

            “You enjoyed that?”

            “Well…yeah. Did…did you?”

            “Yeah…you…you did pretty good.”

            “Honest?”

            “Honest.”

            He sighed in relief.

            “I’ve never done this sort of thing before, so…”

            “Neither have I,” Sakura smiled, “That was…kinda fun.”

            “Yeah…”

            “How’s your arm?”

            “It’s calmer now. Your leg?”

            “Way better. I guess…this did sort of help.”

            “So…what happens now?”

            “Well…you’ve got that girl you’ve been crushing on, right?”

            Syaoran didn’t say anything.

            “Now, you’re prepared when you two get together! And…we’ve still got Clow Reed to deal with. We can…we can still be partners, right?”

            “What? Of course, we can! Who says we shouldn’t?”

            “Oh good! No, it’s just…I was worried that doing… _this_ would make things weird. I hoped this could just be a one time thing and then we go back to regular weapon meister best friends stuff…I’m sure we’ll find Clow soon, and things will go back to normal.”

            Syaoran’s head was spinning. Maybe he should just confess how he felt, but maybe not in her bed because that could look like he was trying too hard. It was too late to try and tell her now, and any attempt at telling her might look bad. _You love me? Well, don’t you think that’s because I gave you a handy and let you touch my vajayjay? You don’t really love me, Syaoran. It’s just your sex drive talking._

            That’s what he told himself, anyways. He would have to wait longer to tell her. He knew for sure he would tell her after they defeated Clow Reed, but that seemed to be taking forever.

            “So, why’d you want me to sleep with you in here?” he asked.

            She grew quiet. Soon, she rustled around and rested her head on his chest.”

            “I know this is weird,” she confessed, “I just…I don’t want you to go yet, if…that’s okay.”

            His chest hurt inside, but his heart felt like melting.

            “I’m okay with that,” he told her, contentedly. He adjusted himself so that she was lying in his arms. The room was dark, with no signs of the sun rising. The alarm clock said it was one in the morning.

            Sakura snuggled into his chest and quickly fell asleep. Syaoran idly stroked her hair. This was just a one-time thing. He was sure that repeating that to himself would make him accept the fact better. His face was close to her hair. She smelled like lavender. It made him drowsy, and he slowly fell asleep.

            For the first time in a long while, both of them slept without having any dreams at all.


End file.
